Designating Bunkers as Out of Play

[mikejohnchapman]

It's that time of the year and bunkers are filling with water. A local rule has been applied which outlines a new procedure at our course.

Bunkers affected are marked with a blue stake and a player is entitled to free relief under 16.1 - no problem here.

However, the way the LR is phrased they are designating the bunker as GUR in the general area and thus relief MAY be taken or the ball played as it lies (IE from the bunker).

My question is if you have designated the bunker out of play and it becomes an abnormal ground condition in the general area why would you allow someone to play the ball as it lies?

 

[wjemather]

It's that time of the year and bunkers are filling with water. A local rule has been applied which outlines a new procedure at our course.

Bunkers affected are marked with a blue stake and a player is entitled to free relief under 16.1 - no problem here.

However, the way the LR is phrased they are designating the bunker as GUR in the general area and thus relief MAY be taken or the ball played as it lies (IE from the bunker).

My question is if you have designated the bunker out of play and it becomes an abnormal ground condition in the general area why would you allow someone to play the ball as it lies?

Sometimes, the relief option is worse than playing the ball as it lies, possibly even unplayable.
If the committee wants to remove the option to play the ball at it lies, they must designate the bunker a no play zone. In which case, a drop zone may be needed to ensure fairness.

As an example, last week we had some bunkers that were designated GUR as they were flooded first thing and there was no possibility of complete and fair relief within the bunker. However, as the day went on, they drained and became more playable (even if they remained compacted until someone raked them). We also have a few bunkers where the relief area could easily be in (or at best hindered by) hedges/trees/bushes.

 

[doublebogey7]

It's that time of the year and bunkers are filling with water. A local rule has been applied which outlines a new procedure at our course.

Bunkers affected are marked with a blue stake and a player is entitled to free relief under 16.1 - no problem here.

However, the way the LR is phrased they are designating the bunker as GUR in the general area and thus relief MAY be taken or the ball played as it lies (IE from the bunker).

My question is if you have designated the bunker out of play and it becomes an abnormal ground condition in the general area why would you allow someone to play the ball as it lies?

Given that the default position for GUR is that players may choice to play the ball as it lies, the question should be why make them no play zones?

 

[rulefan]

It's that time of the year and bunkers are filling with water. A local rule has been applied which outlines a new procedure at our course.

Bunkers affected are marked with a blue stake and a player is entitled to free relief under 16.1 - no problem here.

However, the way the LR is phrased they are designating the bunker as GUR in the general area and thus relief MAY be taken or the ball played as it lies (IE from the bunker).

My question is if you have designated the bunker out of play and it becomes an abnormal ground condition in the general area why would you allow someone to play the ball as it lies?

So it would be consistent with Penalty Areas?

 

[jim8flog]

It's that time of the year and bunkers are filling with water. A local rule has been applied which outlines a new procedure at our course.

Bunkers affected are marked with a blue stake and a player is entitled to free relief under 16.1 - no problem here.

However, the way the LR is phrased they are designating the bunker as GUR in the general area and thus relief MAY be taken or the ball played as it lies (IE from the bunker).

My question is if you have designated the bunker out of play and it becomes an abnormal ground condition in the general area why would you allow someone to play the ball as it lies?

I am a good bunker player and often the lie in the bunker is a better option then the type of grass (or lack of it) where you have to drop.

Wet soft sand is very easy to play off, just take the right club and do not just grab a sand wedge.

 

[mikejohnchapman]

So it would be consistent with Penalty Areas?

In as much as you can play it as it lies - yes, but a penalty area isn't an abnormal ground condition offering free relief.

 

[Steven Rules]

My question is if you have designated the bunker out of play and it becomes an abnormal ground condition in the general area why would you allow someone to play the ball as it lies?

Methinks you are being unduly distracted by the colloquial - and totally meaningless - terminology 'bunkers out of play'.

Designating the bunker(s) as ground under repair in the general area is the correct terminology and it sounds like your Committee is doing things correctly (unless it is they who have also used the meaningless terminology in addition to the correct terminology in their wording of the Local Rule).

Further guidance on this issue is in Model Local Rule F-16.