Can GUR Drop Zones be mandatory?

[delc]

Due to the recent rainfall, some of our fairways have big areas of marked Ground Under Repair, with one marked drop zone. Often this can mean going 50 yards backwards to the DZ! Can you still drop within one club length of the nearest point of relief, or do you have to drop in the marked Drop Zones?

 

[fundy]

surely these are being done to protect your course and limit damage to small areas, so you should want to use the drop zone rather than worry about the loss of a few yards.

Whether compulsory surely depends on the local rule and how its worded

 

[delc]

surely these are being done to protect your course and limit damage to small areas, so you should want to use the drop zone rather than worry about the loss of a few yards.

Whether compulsory surely depends on the local rule and how its worded

The nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole, is often in the rough, so it's not always a case of protecting the fairways. In some cases you would have to go forward to the DZ, so then you are nearer to the hole!

 

[rulefan]

Due to the recent rainfall, some of our fairways have big areas of marked Ground Under Repair, with one marked drop zone. Often this can mean going 50 yards backwards to the DZ! Can you still drop within one club length of the nearest point of relief, or do you have to drop in the marked Drop Zones?

As the R&A says - Generally, such dropping zones should be provided as an additional relief option to those available under the Rule itself, rather than being mandatory.

 

[upsidedown]

If you've big areas of GUR marked out on your fairways I do wonder if you should be open at all !!

 

[KenL]

If your course it in such poor condition it would be simpler to introduce mats for a period over the winter.

We have them. Optional in Nov, Dec and March. Compulsory in Jan & Feb.

I, and nearly all members I speak to, understand why they are in use and get on with it.

 

[rulefan]

If your course it in such poor condition it would be simpler to introduce mats for a period over the winter.

We have them. Optional in Nov, Dec and March. Compulsory in Jan & Feb.

I, and nearly all members I speak to, understand why they are in use and get on with it.

As do we.

 

[delc]

As the R&A says - Generally, such dropping zones should be provided as an additional relief option to those available under the Rule itself, rather than being mandatory.

So is it OK within the Rules of Golf or Local Rules to go to a DZ that is nearer to the hole than where your ball was lying?

 

[SammmeBee]

So is it OK within the Rules of Golf or Local Rules to go to a DZ that is nearer to the hole than where your ball was lying?

Yes

 

[chrisd]

So is it OK within the Rules of Golf or Local Rules to go to a DZ that is nearer to the hole than where your ball was lying?

I'm pretty sure that the old 18th at Wentworth had a drop zone by the hospitality area where players could drop nearer the hole in some cases

 

[Colin L]

So is it OK within the Rules of Golf or Local Rules to go to a DZ that is nearer to the hole than where your ball was lying?

When working out where to put a DZ, knowing that it can be nearer the hole than where a ball might lie, I always look at the amount of potential gain this could provide. Where there could be an undue gain that would unfairly benefit one player over another, I’ll put in more than one DZ and position them to avoid that. The LR then refers to the option (or requirement) to drop in the nearest DZ