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In or Out?

(y) Cheers.

So, unless we have seen the card and/or any information board at the start of the course, we are all just guessing whether it is in or out?

P.S. I still think the R&A rule would be better if it said "...straight line..." ;)
No it's not a guess, without additional information with regards to the local rules it is out. Local rules may state differently but I'd be surprised if they did.
 
I don't believe it is and would never rule it that way in a million years.

Just as well you're not a golf referee then. :)

A ball is either out of bounds or on the course. That is a matter of fact, not opinion. In Bobmac's photo, Ball B is out of bounds. Not because that's my opinion but because the evidence is clear: it lies beyond the boundary line.

All that the demarcation between the short grass and longer grass is evidence of is someone making a few passes with a mower.
 
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I didn’t believe anyone could be this daft but it appears I’m wrong too. ?
I was talking about the one in Bob's image when I said that, not the actual one in OP's post.

But anyway, this has been fun and I'm sure I'll remember it if I'm ever in the situation. (Not that I ever hit anything out of bounds of course. :sneaky: )
 
On one of our holes where we have mature woodland down one side I pointed out that some OOB marker posts had been removed by the greens team and not replaced, and so the course boundary was not obvious.

The response I got was that the boundary was so deep into the woods that no one would be able to hit their ball far enough in for that to matter ?. I rather harrumphed at that as a bit unsatisfactory, and not too long afterwards the posts were replaced, supplemented with white marks on some trees deep where no one goes.
 
On one of our holes where we have mature woodland down one side I pointed out that some OOB marker posts had been removed by the greens team and not replaced, and so the course boundary was not obvious.

The response I got was that the boundary was so deep into the woods that no one would be able to hit their ball far enough in for that to matter ?. I rather harrumphed at that as a bit unsatisfactory, and not too long afterwards the posts were replaced, supplemented with white marks on some trees deep where no one goes.
So, if they gave a truthful answer, it would have been:

We can't be arsed replacing them
 
Now I know I joked about how many posts there had been after the simple correct answer had been given but...

As new member of a golf club, having previously only played society and social golf, I feel it's important for me to fully understand this and I am still struggling to accept it's always as black and white as people are making out.

Therefore, please look at this photo:
CEaT8SBNgP8TfsYNKNygse-768-80.jpeg


It's from this page: https://www.golfmonthly.com/feature...es-in-golf-everything-you-need-to-know-220804

Now, pretend there is no red line on the ground and, instead, that bit of grass currently to the left of the red line was much longer than everything to the right of it. If there was a ball where this guy's left heel is, would you actually say it is not in the penalty area? Would that really be the correct ruling here? (Assuming there is no additional red stake just out of shot!)
 
Now, pretend there is no red line on the ground and, instead, that bit of grass currently to the left of the red line was much longer than everything to the right of it. If there was a ball where this guy's left heel is, would you actually say it is not in the penalty area? Would that really be the correct ruling here? (Assuming there is no additional red stake just out of shot!)

Penalty Areas are not the same as Course boundaries. In this case the penalty area is defined as the physical feature and:

"When the edge of a penalty area is defined by lines or by physical features, stakes may be used to show where the penalty area is, but they have no other meaning."
 
Penalty Areas are not the same as Course boundaries. In this case the penalty area is defined as the physical feature and:

"When the edge of a penalty area is defined by lines or by physical features, stakes may be used to show where the penalty area is, but they have no other meaning."

Thanks, that is really helpful. (y)
 
Now I know I joked about how many posts there had been after the simple correct answer had been given but...

As new member of a golf club, having previously only played society and social golf, I feel it's important for me to fully understand this and I am still struggling to accept it's always as black and white as people are making out.

Therefore, please look at this photo:
CEaT8SBNgP8TfsYNKNygse-768-80.jpeg


It's from this page: https://www.golfmonthly.com/feature...es-in-golf-everything-you-need-to-know-220804

Now, pretend there is no red line on the ground and, instead, that bit of grass currently to the left of the red line was much longer than everything to the right of it. If there was a ball where this guy's left heel is, would you actually say it is not in the penalty area? Would that really be the correct ruling here? (Assuming there is no additional red stake just out of shot!)
The "long grass" is irrelevant unless the edge of penalty area is defined in the Local Rules as the "line" separating short grass and long grass. If the edge is not defined in the Local Rules, the edge is defined by the stakes and the line from stake to stake, and a line joining two stakes is a straight line. I actually carry fishing line in my referee's bag so that I can go stake to stake when required.
 
The "long grass" is irrelevant unless the edge of penalty area is defined in the Local Rules as the "line" separating short grass and long grass. If the edge is not defined in the Local Rules, the edge is defined by the stakes and the line from stake to stake, and a line joining two stakes is a straight line. I actually carry fishing line in my referee's bag so that I can go stake to stake when required.
That doesn't actually answer the question asked.
But the answer is unknown, as the presence or absence of another red stake - on the corner that is (just) 'out of frame' needs to be known.
I'd hazard :rolleyes: a guess, due to the diligent marking shown, that there would be a stake though, so 'in the hazard'.
 
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