Free drop from a bunker

[Tashyboy]

Listening to a couple of guys today in the 19th and they were on about a player on the PGA tour. Apparently his ball landed in the bunker. The player testing the depth of the sand wriggled his way down to the bunker membrane. He then called the ref over and asked from a free drop out of the bunker as his ball was on an unnatural surface. Apparently he got his drop. Is this right that if you can see or feel the membrane on a bunker you get a drop. I honestly don’t know but some of our bunkers have been “ re done “ and the sand in them is shocking re being an inch or so above the membrane.

Thoughts please.

 

[jim8flog]

Simple

The membrane is an immovable obstruction. Same as any IO If it interferes with your stance or area of intended swing you get free relief unless a club has a LR making it an integral obstruction.

 

[Tashyboy]

Simple

The membrane is an immovable obstruction. Same as any IO If it interferes with your stance or area of intended swing you get free relief unless a club has a LR making it an integral obstruction.

many thanks Jim. The odd thing about this is that members have been moaning about the bunkers for months and someone has now mentioned this. It may be a get out of jail card for some. Ironically I played a bunker shot a Couple of moths ago the club bounced off the membrane and the ball went 50 yards through the green

 

[rulefan]

Some balls have no sense of distance nor direction. I blame the manufacturers.

 

[clubchamp98]

many thanks Jim. The odd thing about this is that members have been moaning about the bunkers for months and someone has now mentioned this. It may be a get out of jail card for some. Ironically I played a bunker shot a Couple of moths ago the club bounced off the membrane and the ball went 50 yards through the green

Every bunker on my course has these membranes they are a nightmare.
if the sand is kept uniform it’s fine but mostly you are just guessing how much sand there is.
It’s like playing a sand shot off a range mat ,i can see the logic behind them but the sand depth must be maintained or your club just bounces of the mat.
as you say Tash it is not a controlled shot and can go a lot further than you think.
Quite a few cars have been hit on our 18th because of this.

 

[clubchamp98]

Some balls have no sense of distance nor direction. I blame the manufacturers.

Of the Membrane ?

 

[Tashyboy]

Some balls have no sense of distance nor direction. I blame the manufacturers.

although the provisionals are better.

 

[Tashyboy]

Every bunker on my course has these membranes they are a nightmare.
if the sand is kept uniform it’s fine but mostly you are just guessing how much sand there is.
It’s like playing a sand shot off a range mat ,i can see the logic behind them but the sand depth must be maintained or your club just bounces of the mat.
as you say Tash it is not a controlled shot and can go a lot further than you think.
Quite a few cars have been hit on our 18th because of this.

Quite a few cars have been hit on our 18th because of this.

 

[Steven Rules]

This topic was discussed extensively a few months ago. https://forums.golfmonthly.com/threads/how-to-legally-test-a-bunker.112541/

Also, it would be a free drop inside the bunker, or one penalty stroke to drop back on the line outside the bunker. See 16.1c.

 

[clubchamp98]

Quite a few cars have been hit on our 18th because of this.

If you think there’s not much sand under the ball ,Play your shot with your PW which dosnt have as much bounce.
it takes a bit of practice though.

 

[clubchamp98]

Quite a few cars have been hit on our 18th because of this.

And a window in the conservatory.
It did wake a few members up

 

[Tashyboy]

If you think there’s not much sand under the ball ,Play your shot with your PW which dosnt have as much bounce.
it takes a bit of practice though.

This is a skill/ art that a few players at our place have done for a good few years.
Our course was designed by an American 20 odd years ago.His trait was large greenside and fairway bunkers. Trouble is there was no consistency in the bunkers re sand etc. chipping out was mostly the easier option. Then some of the bunkers were reduced in size a few years ago and liners put in. Complete and utter rammel.a couple of members complained and one of the staffs response was “ I will give you a bunker lesson”. It didn’t go down well.

 

[YandaB]

Quite a few cars have been hit on our 18th because of this.

They really ought not be parking on the 18th, asking for trouble I'd say

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

This is a skill/ art that a few players at our place have done for a good few years.
Our course was designed by an American 20 odd years ago.His trait was large greenside and fairway bunkers. Trouble is there was no consistency in the bunkers re sand etc. chipping out was mostly the easier option. Then some of the bunkers were reduced in size a few years ago and liners put in. Complete and utter rammel.a couple of members complained and one of the staffs response was “ I will give you a bunker lesson”. It didn’t go down well.

The bunker rebuild program at my track (steep, and often deep, revetted faces) has meant that with most bunkers no longer is there such a thing as a ‘chip out’ bunker…at least not if you want to play towards the green - we have to play a ‘proper’ bunker shot…by which I mean understanding and utilising ‘bounce’.

As for many members this is not an understanding or skill they possessed the pros run bunker clinics. Up to ten members paying £5 (IIRC) each. They are popular. Does mean of course that, given I ‘know how’, bunkers hold little or no fear for me most places I play.

 

[Jason.H]

I’ve sometimes clipped the ball clean onto the green with lots of spin purposefully when it’s sitting pretty and playing partners have said I thinned it and got lucky.

 

[clubchamp98]

They really ought not be parking on the 18th, asking for trouble I'd say

Yes .Its a scary shot the car park is about 20’ behind the green.
Most play short and are caught by the bunkers .
they are a nightmare and often see players aim away from the flag as they don’t want to hit someone’s Bentley.

 

[rulefan]

Yes .Its a scary shot the car park is about 20’ behind the green.
Most play short and are caught by the bunkers .
they are a nightmare and often see players aim away from the flag as they don’t want to hit someone’s Bentley.

I think yanda was thinking the cars were being parked on the green.

 

[clubchamp98]

I think yanda was thinking the cars were being parked on the green.

Emojis I think not.
just as an aside, if some one parked their car on your line do you get line of sight relief.

 

[clubchamp98]

I’ve sometimes clipped the ball clean onto the green with lots of spin purposefully when it’s sitting pretty and playing partners have said I thinned it and got lucky.

Your pps have a lot to learn.

 

[Steven Rules]

just as an aside, if some one parked their car on your line do you get line of sight relief

It's hard to tell if this was a serious question or not. But the answer is 'no'....unless there is a local rule in place.