Marking GUR

[backwoodsman]

We are part way through some course improvement works and have now just received the following notification.

New Paths: Until all ground associated with the laying of new paths is fully recovered we have a Temporary Local Rule in place. "Until further notice, all ground within one club length of the wooden edging of the new paths is GUR. A player MUST take take relief in accordance with Rule 24-2b... etc" (my "etc" to save typing the requirements of 24-2b)

Question is: is it permissible to define GUR by reference to club length? And even if it is, is it sensible?

There is at least one other difficulty with the above in that there is ambiguity over what iis a new path.

Thoughts?

 

[Colin L]

Your Committee is required to define GUR accurately (Rule 33-1). There is an R&A recommendation about how to mark GUR and there is common practice derived from that - white lines and blue stakes. But as you see from 33-1, there is no specification as to how the GUR must be defined as long as it is done accurately and it is reasonable to do so without lines or stakes provided that the words of a description do the job accurately. Within one club length of a path seems to me clear enough - it is a commonly understood,easily applied measure. It isn't precise to the centimetre, but I would accept it as adequately so for the purpose. It's accepted for teeing grounds, for instance.

If there is doubt about what is a new path and what isn't, then perhaps the LR should be more specific, e.g. the new paths behind the 5th green, along the right of the 7th hole ....etc

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

the uncertainty associated with your drop from NPR would certainly encompass differences in club length - assuming no one is silly in using a long handle putter for the purpose.

 

[backwoodsman]

Definitely interesting to hear thoughts. At first thought, I was against the use of 1 club length as the definition, but then relaxed a bit, taking piled grass clippings and tractor marks into mind. They too aren't precisely defined on the ground. And cetainly 1 club length sufficiently protects the ground that needs protecting - which are seeded areas about a foot and a half wide along the path edge. And I can appreciate the desire not to have so many white lines that the course looks like a car park.

I've already raised the issue with them about which new paths - saying the use of the word "new" wasn't accurate enough. Did they mean the two brand new ones installed this year, or did they also mean the "new" one installed last year? They are going to make it more clear.

 

[Kellfire]

assuming no one is silly in using a long handle putter for the purpose.

Why would that be silly? It's a club so perfectly within the rules.