does a hazard have to be marked to be a hazard?

[RandyBobbitt]

My home course has plenty of water hazards and lateral hazards, but few of them are marked with stakes or lines. These two questions came up during a recent round:

On several holes there are wooded areas (no water) that begin 20 to 30 feet from the edge of the fairways. No hazard stakes, no OB markers. If you're brave enough to go in to find your ball, you might be able to play it back to the fairway. Most players simply play these as lateral hazards even without the markings, but my understanding is that without hazard stakes/lines or OB stakes/lines, this is a lost ball -- go back to the tee. 

But what about lakes and ponds much closer to the fairway? Are these presumed to be hazards, even without stakes? These were marked as hazards for a recent college tournament, but as a practical matter, I understand why they don't mark these for everyday play. So do we just apply the hazard/lateral hazard rules? Or is it a lost ball, even when you see the splash?

Just askin'

 

 

Edited June 12, 2018 by RandyBobbitt

[iacas]

No.

If it meets the definition, it's a water hazard.

If some area of woods don't meet the definition of a water hazard… then it's not a water hazard. It's often a lost ball, as you noted.

See here: http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-26,d26-3 .

26/3 - Unmarked Water Hazard

Q.An unmarked ditch on the left of a hole is in bounds, but the left-hand margin is out of bounds. Accordingly, it is impossible to drop behind the water hazard under Rule 26-1b. A player's ball comes to rest in the ditch. Is the player restricted to playing the ball as it lies or proceeding under Rule 26-1a?

A.It is the responsibility of the Committee to define accurately the margins of water hazards and lateral water hazards - see Rule 33-2a. However, if the Committee has not done so, the ditch is, by definition, a lateral water hazard and the player should be permitted to proceed under Rule 26-1c(i).

[HonestyPolicy]

Technically, and as shown by iacas, hazards can still be hazards even if they are not marked.

But to reduce confusion, arguments, and speed play, they should be marked. Changes coming in 2019 may help to reduce confusion and speed play with regard to hazards, but a well marked course is what golf courses and their committees should be working towards.  

 

[Rkrider99]

Talking about this, I have another question. At our course the hazards are all marked with markers and normally painted lines. Here in Florida, there are quite a few ponds, lakes, water hazards. We are in our rainy season right now, and these ponds, lakes, and water hazards are overflowing. If you look at the hazard markers, they could be 10 feet into the water. Does the hazard move with the water line, or if my ball falls between the water line and the hazard marker, is that now casual water where I can take a free drop?

[HonestyPolicy]

Really good question. I believe that in a tournament, the director would be expected to remark the water hazard with a new boundary line and possibly move the stakes too.

Remember you are not required to take a drop, you can play the ball as it lies assuming you can find it, so one might argue that water outside the hazard markings is then "casual water", nope. The director or committee is required to mark the hazard properly and in the even of an error in it's marking, the player is not allowed to take relief.

See Rules and Decisions 26/2

[Missouri Swede]

10 hours ago, Rkrider99 said:

Talking about this, I have another question. At our course the hazards are all marked with markers and normally painted lines. Here in Florida, there are quite a few ponds, lakes, water hazards. We are in our rainy season right now, and these ponds, lakes, and water hazards are overflowing. If you look at the hazard markers, they could be 10 feet into the water. Does the hazard move with the water line, or if my ball falls between the water line and the hazard marker, is that now casual water where I can take a free drop?

Quote

25/2

Overflow from Water Hazard

Q.If a pond (water hazard) has overflowed, is the overflow casual water?

A.Yes. Any overflow of water from a water hazard which is outside the margin of the hazard is casual water.

Quote

1-4/7

 Ball Lost in Either Water Hazard or Casual Water Overflowing Hazard

Q.It is known or virtually certain that a ball is lost either in a water hazard or in an area of casual water overflowing the hazard, but it is not known which. What is the proper procedure?

A.In equity (Rule 1-4), the player must proceed under the water hazard Rule. (Revised)

 

[RandyBobbitt]

So the consensus seems to be that these unmarked lakes, ponds, and ditches are to be played as hazards. That does raise another question -- how to determine where the ball crossed the margin of a hazard when there are no lines or stakes? 

The incident that prompted this question occurred on a par-5 with a lake extending the entire right side of the hole, meeting the definition of a "lateral hazard." My ball started down the right side of the fairway, faded slightly and hit in the rough, then bounced 90 degrees to the right and into the water. But there was no well-defined water line to use as the margin of the hazard. There was rough, then a sloping bank, then 5 to 10 feet of marsh, then water. This was not a competition, but my group always plays by the rules. We agreed that the farthest point to which you could safely step (where the bank turned into marsh) would be the edge of the hazard. Two club-lengths from there allowed me to drop in the rough. Does this make sense?  

Edited June 19, 2018 by RandyBobbitt

[Rkrider99]

9 hours ago, Missouri Swede said:

 

Thanks for the clarification. I guess I need to read the rules book more often.

[iacas]

@RandyBobbitt you use the definition of a hazard (and some common sense) to determine where the margin is.

[Asheville]

From the excellent USGA publication, How to Conduct a Competition, page 35, tells us how to mark water hazards and lateral water hazards:

Stakes or lines should be so placed that they include in the hazard not only the water, but also rough banks and unkempt growth related directly to it. In general, they should be placed where the ground breaks down to form the depression containing the water. 

Edited June 19, 2018 by Asheville