A Mischievous Greenkeeper!

[Lindyhop67]

An interesting situation arose a week or two ago when I was playing a match against an old pal of mine at the superb ‘hidden gem’ of Wyke Green GC in west London. I had played my tee shot at the par-3 7th after which my adversary then played his...which promptly pitched bang in the middle of the left hand bunker. Now, the bunkers on this hole were marked as GUR as they were part of the bunker renewal scheme on the course and all had markers placed in them to notify players. As we played our tee shots we could see the GUR signs in each bunker but also noticed that the bunkers appeared renewed. Anyway, as we marched towards our respective balls the head greenkeeper, who had been waiting by the green, dashed across to the left hand bunker and removed the GUR sign, before my pal had been able to play his bunker shot! The question was, and still is, was my pal able to play under GUR rules and remove the ball from said bunker, as this was the status of the bunker when he played his tee shot, or did he have to play the ball from the bunker? In fact, he played it from the bunker but I would be interested to hear what the experts think of this.

 

[bobmac]

I would say you cant change the playing characteristics of a hole once you've started playing it.
It would be like chipping stone dead to a hole and the GKeeper then moving it 10 yds away

Free drop in my opinion.

 

[Robobum]

Was it a friendly match??

Do what ever you both agree on.

If it was a comp, the greenkeeper needs shooting!!

 

[Lindyhop67]

Bizarrely enough, on a public course, I have had exactly that happen. About to take my approach shot when I realised the flag was not where it had been when I'd played my drive!

In the case I first mentioned, my playing partner took his advice from the head greenkeeper responsible for moving the GUR sign. I tend to agree that it should have been a drop and our ignorance is certainly no excuse. Luckily it didn't affect the match result.

 

[Lindyhop67]

And, yes, it was a friendly.

 

[freddielong]

GUR stands free drop

It good when the greenkeepers have a sense of humour

 

[Golfman]

I have also had a flag moved on the green whilst playing a hole. Thankfully it was a friendly game as the greenkeeper moved it after we had hit our approaches! Was not at my home course or I'd have got him to put it nearer my ball.

 

[jammydodger]

Playing one day and my mate hit his shot into the green no probs and then the greenkeeper pulls up and gets off his buggy thingy and walks onto the green and promptly takes the flag out and puts it into the temp green

i'm standing there laughing cos I then proceed to hit into the temp while my mate is standing there with his hands on his hips wondering what the heck is going on

No I didnt let him play again cos the comedy value was too high

 

[huttonline]

I once hit my ball from the tee to the green (rarity, I know...) and as I was walking the 130 or so yards to putt it, the greenkeeper started the sprinklers, which stayed on for about 5 minutes, meaning I couldn't even get on the green to get my ball, let alone try and putt the bloomin' thing!!

And when the watering finally ended, what was a gentle birdie putt opportunity became somewhat harder!

 

[viscount17]

a regular occurrence during the mid-week medals is that the greenskeepers will sweep and even cut the greens after the first matches have teed off. and always, always the wrong way round so the same groups are repeatedly delayed.