Bunker partially filled with water

[jim8flog]

Just need to clear this up in my mind.

There is a bunker which slopes such that when it part fills with water the part filled area is always furthest away from the green and is always to the brim of the bunker. The area without water in would be closer to the hole.

Is a player allowed to (a) drop in the an area nearer to the hole as the only area within the bunker that he can drop which is not in the water or in any sort of playable lie, or must he (b) drop outside of the bunker under penalty and would the penalty be one or two shots.

 

[rulefan]

(a) He cannot drop nearer the hole
(b) Is his only option, unless there is a spot not nearer the hole (albeit in water) where he feels that he may be able to make decent attempt to play it out.

See Rule 16.1c
https://www.usga.org/content/usga/h...ons.html#!ruletype=pe&section=rule&rulenum=16

 

[duncan mackie]

It's slightly confusing now, for those used to the previous, because of the additional options as well as the rewritten structures.


As said, 16.1 c covers the situation you outline, but refers back to 16 1 b for a mention of not nearer the hole.

If there is interference from an ACC in the bunker the player has the option to take BOL relief outside the bunker for 1 penalty stroke, rather than the 2 strokes it would otherwise be under 19. Worth noting that this is available even if there is an area of relief available inside the bunker - the relevant factors are ball in bunker and ACC interference.

 

[jim8flog]

Thanks |I had read the rule but was getting myself confused (senior half an hour). It was the back and forth.

 

[mikejohnchapman]

Welcome to my world - we have lots of bunkers that slope away from the green and have nowhere to drop which isn't nearer the hole. Very frustrating this time of year.

 

[rulefan]

I know of many situations where the 'authorities' have given approval to the committee to declare such bunkers to be GUR/ACC. The committee could deem them to be NPZ or left to the player's choice. Of course, individual bunkers have to be identified.