Category: Rules of Golf

Hi Ladies:

"Survey says" hole #12

OK, this hole is almost over, whew. We are on problem area #2 of three. I know I said previously short, concise and no rule numbers but
sadly I cannot make this any shorter.

What should you do if your shot from the fairway on hole #12 flies over the green and you think your ball may have landed 
in the ice plants behind the green?


As this area is not Out of Bounds and you do not know the exact place where your ball landed it is possible that you ball "may" be LOST or UNPLAYABLE.
You are allowed to play a Provisional ball from where you made your stroke, but be sure to inform your fellow players that is what you are doing.

If you find your original ball and it is PLAYABLE, pick up your Provisional ball and play on. No penalty.

If, after a five minute search, you cannot find your original ball then it is LOST.  Play your Provisional ball and take a ONE STROKE penalty.

If you find your original ball in the ice plants and you cannot make a stroke at it without altering your area of intended swing by moving the ice plants, or 
unnecessarily pressing them down when you take your stance then you declare your ball UNPLAYABLE.

You take a ONE STROKE penalty and your options are:

Play your Provisional ball, because under the Unplayable ball Rule you are allowed to hit from where you made your last stroke, and you have done that already.

If your ball is visible and IF, AND ONLY IF when you measure your ball's distance from the cart path a measurement of two club lengths* would make your
ball touch the cart path, you may
drop a ball on the cart path within this two club lengths. You may then take your nearest point of relief from the path and
drop a ball onto the grass beside the path, no closer to the hole.

To speed up play you may just find your nearest point of relief on the grass and drop a ball there, no closer to the hole.

*Please note: If you ball is further back from the path in the ice plants than two club lengths you will have to take multiple drops, and one stroke penalties,
until your ball is on the cart path. Not worth it!The third option for the Unplayable Rule is really not a feasible one in this situation. Going back far back as you like, in line with the pin, would just put you
further back up the hill into the plants, and you would have to drop a ball back into the ice plants
!

The last "Survey says" problem for hole #12 I'll be sending out shortly........watch your e mail!

Hilary

Hi Ladies:

Our golf survey showed that hole #12 gives us all the most problems, 3 in fact.

Here is the first one, short, concise no Rule numbers.

On hole #12 your ball comes to rest in the pilings alongside the lake and the cart path.

The pilings are Immovable Obstructions and free relief is allowed. You may take free relief from the pilings and then the cart path.

To speed up play

You may drop a ball within one club length of your nearest point of relief on the grass alongside the cart path but no closer to the hole.

There is NO PENALTY.

Watch for problems 2 and 3 coming up shortly…………………………………

Hilary

“Survey says” #1

Here is my first Rules e mailing in response to my Rules survey. I am making them short and concise, no Rules numbers, just the facts.

Hole #2

You hit a ball from the tee box and it goes over the water, lands on the grass bank in front of the green, and bounces back into the water and disappears.
The stakes here are YELLOW.

You can play a ball again from the tee box; you can tee up your ball.

You can drop a ball in the grass on the tee box side of the lake as far back as you like, in line with the pin and where your ball last crossed the hazard.

Both options you take a one stroke penalty.

You may NOT drop a ball on the green-side of the lake. The stakes here are YELLOW, Water Hazard.

Hole #3

Your fairway shot goes way left and goes into the water.
The stakes here are RED.

You can play a ball again from where you made your last shot.

You may drop a ball within two club lengths from where your ball last crossed the hazard, no closer to the pin.

In this location it is usually impossible to go back in line with the pin and where your ball crossed the hazard as the water runs parallel to the fairway.

This is why it is marked with RED stakes as it is a LATERAL HAZARD, therefore the Rules allow you the two club lengths option.

Both options you take a one stroke penalty.

More survey answers to come…….