Ball on bridge crossing water hazard

[Ian_S]

Pretty sure we got this right, but last round my ball found itself sat on a bridge that crosses a drainage ditch that is marked as a water hazard. After a little discussion we decided it was in the hazard so I played it without grounding the club.

One FC suggested dropping a ball and playing it as though the rule was free drop from the bridge, and then checking at the end of the round but I decided against that as I was pretty sure it wasn't a free drop and, even if it was, I'd actually played a decent shot from the bridge so I was happy to forgo the free drop and play it where I was.

That all sound good and right?

 

[atticusfinch]

No free drop, but you can ground your club on the bridge. It is not "ground." R. 24-2 note1.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

No free drop, but you can ground your club on the bridge. It is not "ground." R. 24-2 note1.

I'm guessing a club can make a local rule though about dropping away from the bridge ?

 

[rulefan]

I'm guessing a club can make a local rule though about dropping away from the bridge ?

I doubt it. The ball is in a water hazard. The water hazard rule must apply.

What LR are you suggesting?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I doubt it. The ball is in a water hazard. The water hazard rule must apply.

What LR are you suggesting?

Possibly they decide the bridge isn't part of the hazard ?

 

[palindromicbob]

I doubt it. The ball is in a water hazard. The water hazard rule must apply.

What LR are you suggesting?

Yup the ball is in the hazard but the bridge is an immovable obstruction in the hazard and a club can be grounded on it even if bridge is declared an integral part of the course. Decision 13-4/30

Relief from an immovable obstruction is not granted in a water hazard hence no relief from the bridge under 24-2.

 

[palindromicbob]

Possibly they decide the bridge isn't part of the hazard ?

Can't really do that legitimately.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Well you learn something every day. I've seen plenty of bridges with yellow lines painted on them and always assumed that on the bridge between the lines you were in the hazard and could not ground your club.

Never happened to me before but at least I now know the rule. Thanks guys

 

[rulefan]

Possibly they decide the bridge isn't part of the hazard ?

The margins of a water hazard extend vertically upwards. So if the bridge is above the water hazard it is in it, although it is not ground in the hazard.

 

[rulefan]

Yup the ball is in the hazard but the bridge is an immovable obstruction in the hazard and a club can be grounded on it even if bridge is declared an integral part of the course. Decision 13-4/30

Relief from an immovable obstruction is not granted in a water hazard hence no relief from the bridge under 24-2.

What has this got to do with my response to Liverpoolphils's suggestion of a local rule?

 

[palindromicbob]

What has this got to do with my response to Liverpoolphils's suggestion of a local rule?

It's a direct back up of what you have said and clarification of the rules of a bridges status in relation to a water hazard. Something which hadn't been made up to that point. The only valid LR I can think of would be to declare the bride integral.

 

[atticusfinch]

Possibly they decide the bridge isn't part of the hazard ?

It was never a part of the hazard. It is an immovable obstruction in a hazard. To change the outcome, you would have to reclassify the hazard.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The margins of a water hazard extend vertically upwards. So if the bridge is above the water hazard it is in it, although it is not ground in the hazard.

It's interesting to know because I know one course in the area has their bridge as an immovable object that you must drop away from ( new centenary bridge they spent 30 grand on !!)

 

[palindromicbob]

It's interesting to know because I know one course in the area has their bridge as an immovable object that you must drop away from ( new centenary bridge they spent 30 grand on !!)

Not the first local rule that conflicts with the rules of golf. Doesn't make it right or something that should be common place.

 

[rulefan]

There can be some misunderstanding about the status of a structure or ground that passes over what seems to be a water hazard.

A water hazard is an open water course or similar (ie the water surface is not enclosed in a tube or pipe).

Often ditches or streams will run across a course but some stretches are channelled underground through some sort of conduit. Those stretches do not satisfy the definition of a water hazard.
However, if they are relatively short, the committee may (legitimately) include them within the margins of the water hazard.
If the are relatively long, the committee will terminate the WH at the points where the water enters and exits the pipe/tube or other closed conduit.

The open stretches of the ditch or stream are always water hazards and any bridge which crosses from one side to the other is in the hazard. That cannot be overidden by a local rule

1 = Bridge over WH
2 & 3 = Not WH
(Ignore white stakes in pic 2)

examples