Bunkers

[Leereed]

At the weekend our bunkers were gur due to heavy rain.
no comp so just a friendly knock.If ball went in bunker is it the nearest point of relief or point of entry.Two pp had different opinions.whos correct?
i think it's nearest point of relief.
thanks.

 

[mikejohnchapman]

At the weekend our bunkers were gur due to heavy rain.
no comp so just a friendly knock.If ball went in bunker is it the nearest point of relief or point of entry.Two pp had different opinions.whos correct?
i think it's nearest point of relief.
thanks.

My logic would be that if the bunker is GUR then it doesn't exist as a hazard. Thus NPR is the correct drop.

 

[Colin L]

If you know where your ball lies in the bunker, the nearest point of relief is from where it lies. If your ball cannot be found, the nearest point of relief is from where the ball last crossed the outer limit of the GUR (Rule 25-1c)

 

[bobmac]

Were all the bunkers GUR?

 

[Leereed]

Were all the bunkers GUR?

Yes all full of water.

 

[bobmac]

Yes all full of water.

Decision 33-8/27 states;

Q. May a Committee make a Local Rule allowing a player to drop out of any bunker filled with casual water, without penalty, contrary to Rule 25-1b(ii)?
A. No. The Committee may not make a Local Rule providing generally that flooded bunkers are ground under repair through the green as such a Local Rule waives a penalty imposed by the Rules of Golf, contrary to Rule 33-8b.​

 

[rulefan]

A moot point

 

[mikejohnchapman]

Decision 33-8/27 states;

Q. May a Committee make a Local Rule allowing a player to drop out of any bunker filled with casual water, without penalty, contrary to Rule 25-1b(ii)?
A. No. The Committee may not make a Local Rule providing generally that flooded bunkers are ground under repair through the green as such a Local Rule waives a penalty imposed by the Rules of Golf, contrary to Rule 33-8b.​

But they can declare some or all of them as GUR surely?

 

[Colin L]

I think the point of that Decision is that you cannot have a Local Rule in place full-time that permits a player at any time to take free relief from a flooded bunker. Any flooded bunker that is to be GUR has to be so defined on the day and only for the duration of its being flooded. I don 't see why that shouldn't mean that on a day all the bunkers on a course are defined as GUR. Any competition in such conditions would be non-qualifying anyway.

 

[jim8flog]

I have always followed the Decision in my arguments with Competition organisers.

I think the decision is very clear in it's meaning.

Where I play they often declare all bunkers as GUR just because some of them are flooded.

 

[rulefan]

But they can declare some or all of them as GUR surely?

You can but they have to be identified in the Local Rule. We place a small blue flag in those affected.

 

[rulefan]

I don 't see why that shouldn't mean that on a day all the bunkers on a course are defined as GUR. Any competition in such conditions would be non-qualifying anyway.

England Golf has specified more than 50% of the bunkers out of action. Other national unions have made no statement (to my knowledge).

 

[Colin L]

I think the point of that Decision is that you cannot have a Local Rule in place full-time that permits a player at any time to take free relief from a flooded bunker. Any flooded bunker that is to be GUR has to be so defined on the day and only for the duration of its being flooded. I don 't see why that shouldn't mean that on a day all the bunkers on a course are defined as GUR. Any competition in such conditions would be non-qualifying anyway.

The highlighted bit might not be clear. I mean that the bunkers would be individually identified .