Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Not a rules Q but curious, if you hit a ball into a tightly planted flower bed in a comp and there's no local rule in place providing relief, how much damage are you prepared to do to find and/or hit your ball?
Cultivated Planting/Flower Bed_No Relief
- Thread starter Slab
- Start date
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
Whatever it takes, I once took a hefty divot out of an hourglass shaped green with a daft pin position. As I could not use a putter what else was I supposed to do.
bladeplayer
Money List Winner
If its in play and not marked or covered under a local rule & i have a shot .. im playing it and what happens, happens ..
I drop enough shots of my own accord im not taking a penalty on someone elses oversight or laziness
I drop enough shots of my own accord im not taking a penalty on someone elses oversight or laziness
bladeplayer
Money List Winner
IMO, nothing but im nipping to shop for popcorn just in case ha
williamalex1
Money List Winner
I remember it happened to Monty a few years ago in one of the majors in America also at the 10th at the Belfry he just mowed right through them. We have a local rule giving relief.
cant think why a club wouldnt have a local rule to protect the aesthetics of the course, not to mention the cost in materials and labour used in the creation and repair from wayward shots.
Just plain stupid by the club if you ask me.
North Mimms
Tour Winner
most sensible clubs would not only have a local rule to protect planted areas, they would be wise to put a little sign by the bed as a reminder
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
On the face of it I'd agree but recently played one where no local rule and I don't believe its an oversight, rather its deliberate but not sure on reasoning but guessing it may have something to do with the volume of planted areas each of which would need to be defined as a relief area or not (some may even warrant being an integral part of the course) so instead of confusion they seem to have left all as integral
If its not defined in local rules and I can get a shot at the ball I'm playing the shot and not worried about the collateral damage
HawkeyeMS
Ryder Cup Winner
I'd play it, they'll grow back, but what is a flower bed doing on the course?
Jimaroid
Journeyman Pro
I'm amused by the bravado attitude of not caring and damaging the planting because that's where the ball lies. How the tide would change if it was gravel bed and the clubs that were at risk of damage instead. We'd all be desperately looking for relief then.
NorfolkShaun
Journeyman Pro
Played somewhere once that had flower beds beside a par 3 green i'm sure you could drop out for a one stroke penalty.
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
I'm amused by the bravado attitude of not caring and damaging the planting because that's where the ball lies. How the tide would change if it was gravel bed and the clubs that were at risk of damage instead. We'd all be desperately looking for relief then.
It is a golf course, if the managers see fit to put in inappropriate planting without it being covered by a local rule that is their look out.
Can you imagine........'and Rory has been allowed a free drop from the marigold bed'.
Jimaroid
Journeyman Pro
Arguably it already is that daft, what with the number of free drops from galleries and suchlike.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
You think that's daft ?
Or should they play crazy golf to get round the stands that aren't normally part of the golf course hence why they get drops away from them
Jimaroid
Journeyman Pro
I think there's a discussion to be had on whether they should be penalised rather than having a free drop.
"normally part of the golf course" is the tricky bit, considering that in tournaments the pros will never/rarely play a course without the galleries in place.
"normally part of the golf course" is the tricky bit, considering that in tournaments the pros will never/rarely play a course without the galleries in place.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
But they are all down as immovable obstructions that are not an integral part of the course
I expect there is a rule for them
Jimaroid
Journeyman Pro
I think they could/should be classed as OB but we're going wildly off the original topic now.
Foxholer
Blackballed
I'd play it - though probably a bit carefully.
Any club that has that sort of thing and no LR deserves what happens to them imo.
@Doon. I used to play at a Club with a green that had that potential - kidney shaped with a big hump, so certain ball/pin positions might tempt a chip/lob. They had/have a (non-compliant) LR along the lines of 'Only Putters may be used on Greens'.
As for stands in tournaments - definitely IOs, so free relief at nearest DZ. The fact that some players might 'take advantage of them' is irrelevant - if they weren't there, they would have plenty more options.
Any club that has that sort of thing and no LR deserves what happens to them imo.
@Doon. I used to play at a Club with a green that had that potential - kidney shaped with a big hump, so certain ball/pin positions might tempt a chip/lob. They had/have a (non-compliant) LR along the lines of 'Only Putters may be used on Greens'.
As for stands in tournaments - definitely IOs, so free relief at nearest DZ. The fact that some players might 'take advantage of them' is irrelevant - if they weren't there, they would have plenty more options.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
I suspect it's the favourable positioning of many of the DZ that irks viewers more than the status of the stands etc
When a well wayward shot is 'rewarded' with a greenside chip from a prepared DZ much nearer the hole, then why not bomb a 3w instead of laying up... but that's not supposed to be golf
