Rules Question

[3puttpaul]

I'm a new member to this site sorry if this isn't the place to ask these type questions.  I was playing this past week and we had a ton of rain. I hit my ball into a sand trap that was flooded with water. There was no place to drop inside the trap without the ball being in water or closer to the hole......What should I have done....the guy I was playing said I couldn't drop outside the trap so I ended up hitting it out of the water......not only did I mess up the shot, I got muddy in the process..... 

[jaskanski]

You could always drop outside the bunker under penalty of one stroke, not nearer the hole - Rule 25-1b (ii)(.

 or

Declare the ball unplayable and play from the original position from where your last shot was played - Rule 28a, again under penalty of one stroke.

There no penalty for taking relief from the water in the bunker and dropping inside the bunker where the water is the least depth, provided it is not nearer the hole. 

Or of course you can just play it as it lies.

In such circumstances, it always best to weigh up the situation and give yourself the best chance of scoring with the least possible strokes - sometimes that means taking a penalty, especially when attempting a shot out of water. And it's always best to know the rules better than your playing partner.

[PlaidJacket]

Go to barryrhodes.com and do a search.

[chershey]

The USGA has very searchable website. jaskanski has already provided you the details but here's the rule on their website if you want to read it yourself: http://www.usga.org/RulesFAQ/rules_answer.asp?FAQidx=102&Rule=25

 

Unfortunately it looks like you going to have to either get a little wet or take your penalty. Probably not a shot your practice a lot, right? I would probably just take the penalty myself unless the water was really shallow.

[3puttpaul]

Thanks for the feedback. Having to take a penalty due to poor course maintenance seems harsh but if that is the rule.

 

 

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[Kenny B]

At my old course in addition to Ground Under Repair, the guys would play a local rule... Ground NEEDING Repair.  

[Jmikecpa]

My club has a local rule for just that reason.  Our bunkers drain fairly well but early in the year when you are getting inches of rain a day the Super can only do so much.  

[tr99]

There are only 4 options;

1. Play it as it lies.

2. If you take relief;

a. drop within 1 club length from nearest point of relief in bunker, even if this means the water is not as deep etc. no penalty.

b. take an unplayable 1 stroke penalty, rule 28

c. drop behind bunker keeping the bunker inline with pin, take a 1 stroke penalty. rule 25-1b.

[RookieBlue7]

Yep, in this instance you can take the maximum available relief within the bunker and incur no penalty (1 inch of water vs 5 inches of water).  Or under penalty of 1 stroke, drop outside the bunker.

[sp0rtsfan86]

We had a guy in the course tournament lose a ball in the water in a bunker. I swear. Standing water in a bunker and lost the ball. We all were visually certain it was there. USGA rule app on my phone, plus knowing the guys at the course had our group with a 3 minute conversation with the rules official. Ended up being a "Yeah let me look that up just to make sure, yup played it right" conversation.

[josmi15]

Thanks for this, I thought with the casual water it was a free drop within bunker. We're starting to play exactly like the rules state. Frustrating and great at the same time

 

 

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