GUR and Drop zones

[williamalex1]

Last year our 1st green was extended to the left by 3 or 4 yards and has been in play, but never been up to scratch.
Now the new part of the green has now been made GUR and drop zones are in place " off the green" and the nearest zone MUST be used .
Seems a bit unfair that you must drop off the green after being on it.
It didn't really matter to me, i was in the bunker
thoughts please

 

[Fyldewhite]

Can't see any obvious reason for a local rule. Do the drop zones lie at each end of the GUR so that you don't have to chip over it? If it is basically the whole left edge of the green then following 25-1 would maybe result in a lot of players having to chip over the GUR (and maybe walk over it etc) which they may be trying to avoid? If I were on the GUR by a couple of inches and (say) 15 feet from the hole where normal relief was a couple of feet away on the green then I'd be a bit miffed to have to go off the green and chip from much further away. Sounds very harsh and ill thought out but maybe I'm not picturing it correctly.

 

[rosecott]

Last year our 1st green was extended to the left by 3 or 4 yards and has been in play, but never been up to scratch.
Now the new part of the green has now been made GUR and drop zones are in place " off the green" and the nearest zone MUST be used .
Seems a bit unfair that you must drop off the green after being on it.
It didn't really matter to me, i was in the bunker
thoughts please

Can't see any obvious reason for a local rule. Do the drop zones lie at each end of the GUR so that you don't have to chip over it? If it is basically the whole left edge of the green then following 25-1 would maybe result in a lot of players having to chip over the GUR (and maybe walk over it etc) which they may be trying to avoid? If I were on the GUR by a couple of inches and (say) 15 feet from the hole where normal relief was a couple of feet away on the green then I'd be a bit miffed to have to go off the green and chip from much further away. Sounds very harsh and ill thought out but maybe I'm not picturing it correctly.

If the committee has declared the area to be GUR (not up to scratch, as Billy says), surely it is no longer part of the green. In that case you cannot drop on the green - which is probably why the Drop Zones were introduced.

 

[rulefan]

If the committee has declared the area to be GUR (not up to scratch, as Billy says), surely it is no longer part of the green.

Unless the committee has specifically declared it to be through the green it is still part of the putting green.

 

[rulefan]

the nearest zone MUST be used .

Do you mean that a DZ must be used or if used, it must be the nearest one?

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."

 

[rosecott]

Unless the committee has specifically declared it to be through the green it is still part of the putting green.

Perhaps williamalex1 will enlighten us on that when he has asked the question at his club. It would seem to me that that might have been their intention, given the introduction of Drop Zones.

 

[williamalex1]

Do you mean that a DZ must be used or if used, it must be the nearest one?

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."

The nearest DZ MUST be used (mandatory), the new left side of the green is obvious and is being allowed to grow. But as Jim said I'll get the exact wording/details next time I'm down at the club.
Unless there's other club members here who can give more info.

 

[atticusfinch]

Unless the committee has specifically declared it to be through the green it is still part of the putting green.

That used to be a problem with water logged bunkers before the rule was changed. Simply declaring the bunker GUR did not change its status as a bunker and the restrictions associated with play from them. (As I recall.)

 

[rulefan]

That used to be a problem with water logged bunkers before the rule was changed. Simply declaring the bunker GUR did not change its status as a bunker and the restrictions associated with play from them. (As I recall.)

You recall correctly.

 

[williamalex1]

Perhaps williamalex1 will enlighten us on that when he has asked the question at his club. It would seem to me that that might have been their intention, given the introduction of Drop Zones.

Here's the exact wording - Temporary Local Rule- effective from 23rd September2016
The left hand side of the 1st green is deemed to be ground under repair, play is prohibited from this area.
A ball landing in this area must be lifted and dropped in the drop zone nearest to the original position of the ball.

Where the GUR interferes with the players stance only , the ball must be played as it lies.

Aeration Holes- On the putting green , A ball that comes to rest in or on an aerated hole may be placed at the nearest spot not nearer the hole that avoids the situation.

Winter Greens- Winter greens have have been marked with a white circle and should be treated as GUR. A ball lying within the marked circle must be lifted and dropped at the NPR in accordance with rule 25-1.