Cracked up

[fylde6]

I wonder if you could help with a query.
Our course has become very dry over the summer (like many I imagine) and hundreds of large cracks have appeared around the course.
We have made a local rule to give free relief if a ball goes into a crack.
On one hole we have a wide shallow ditch, designated as water hazard ( yellow staked) although usually dry.
This ditch also contains large deep cracks and a ball in the cracks is just not playable as the ball is in fact under ground.
The question being, could we also give relief for this although the ball is in a hazard?
Hope you can help.
Many thanks

 

[User 99]

You're greens committee should have implied a temporary local rule of abnormal conditions and allowed a free lift and drop/place, I know our did and is still in place.

 

[rulefan]

I wonder if you could help with a query.
Our course has become very dry over the summer (like many I imagine) and hundreds of large cracks have appeared around the course.
We have made a local rule to give free relief if a ball goes into a crack.
On one hole we have a wide shallow ditch, designated as water hazard ( yellow staked) although usually dry.
This ditch also contains large deep cracks and a ball in the cracks is just not playable as the ball is in fact under ground.
The question being, could we also give relief for this although the ball is in a hazard?
Hope you can help.
Many thanks

A Local Rule for cracks Through the Green is quite common. Normally relief is only given if the ball is affected but not for stance or area of intended swing.

As this is an Abnormal Ground Condition, relief is not available if the affected area is in a Water Hazard.

Rule 25-1 covers it all.