Relief from bunkers "out of use"

[cliveb]

Yesterday I caddied for my wife in a major matchplay competition. Despite the heavy rain the course was just about playable, except that most of the bunkers were flooded. Because of that, the competition referee set up a temporary local rule for the day, that all bunkers were "out of play" and free relief would be given.

However, my confusion came when the nature of that free relief was explained. He said there would be three options:
1. Drop one club length from the point of entry to the bunker, no nearer the hole.
2. Go back as far in line with the pin from the point of entry to the bunker.
3. Replay the last shot (effectively stroke-and-distance, but without the penalty stroke).

Now, I didn't want to cause a fuss, and since it was machplay it was the same for everyone, but this just sounds wrong to me. I would have thought that if you declare all bunkers out of play, they effectively become GUR, or perhaps a non-specific abnormal ground condition. In either case, surely the only relief option should be 1 club length from NPR?

 

[Region3]

I don't know what the official procedure should be, but that sounds crazy.

Re 1. What if your ball rolled off the side of the green so that no nearer the hole is impossible.

Even worse, re 3. if you short side yourself you can keep having a go at only just dropping the ball over the bunker until you get it right.

GUR seems like the common sense way to go.

 

[bobmac]

Because of that, the competition referee set up a temporary local rule for the day, that all bunkers were "out of play" and free relief would be given.

I didn't think they could do that

 

[SammmeBee]

I didn't think they could do that

Why not?

 

[bobmac]

Q. May a Committee make a Local Rule allowing a player to drop out of any bunker filled with casual water, without penalty, contrary to Rule 25-1b(ii)?
A. No. The Committee may not make a Local Rule providing generally that flooded bunkers are ground under repair through the green as such a Local Rule waives a penalty imposed by the Rules of Golf, contrary to Rule 33-8b.

 

[cliveb]

Re 1. What if your ball rolled off the side of the green so that no nearer the hole is impossible.

Indeed that did happen on a couple of occasions, and the players just dropped behind the bunker, opposite the point of entry.

Even worse, re 3. if you short side yourself you can keep having a go at only just dropping the ball over the bunker until you get it right.

Hey, good point. I have to admit that never occured to me, but of course you are right, and that is indeed crazy. I wonder why nobody figured that out, and we all instead just dropped out of the bunkers? Sometimes you miss something that's staring you in the face!

GUR seems like the common sense way to go.

That's what I thought at the time, but I'm not a rules official and didn't feel like challenging the competition referee.

 

[Colin L]

If a flooded bunker is to be considered "out of play" it should be designated ground under repair. It loses its status as a hazard and is therefore through the green and Rule 25-1b(i) applies. Find the nearest point of relief to where the ball lies and drop within a club length not nearer the hole. If the ball cannot be found in the GUR Rule 25-1c(i) applies and the reference point for determining the nearest point of relief is where the ball crossed the margin of the GUR.

The relief options you were given are very muddled.

 

[rulefan]

Q. May a Committee make a Local Rule allowing a player to drop out of any bunker filled with casual water, without penalty, contrary to Rule 25-1b(ii)?
A. No. The Committee may not make a Local Rule providing generally that flooded bunkers are ground under repair through the green as such a Local Rule waives a penalty imposed by the Rules of Golf, contrary to Rule 33-8b.

You omitted the more significant part of the decision

However, in exceptional circumstances, where certain specific bunkers are completely flooded and there is no reasonable likelihood of the bunkers drying up during the round, the Committee may introduce a Local Rule providing relief without penalty from specific bunkers. Prior to introducing such a Local Rule, the Committee must be convinced that such exceptional circumstances exist and that providing relief without penalty from specific bunkers is more appropriate than simply applying Rule 25-1b(ii). If the Committee elects to introduce a Local Rule, the following wording is suggested:

"The flooded bunker on [insert location of bunker; e.g., left of 5th green] is ground under repair. If a player's ball lies in that bunker or if that bunker interferes with the player's stance or the area of his intended swing and the player wishes to take relief, he must take relief outside the bunker, without penalty, in accordance with Rule 25-1b(i). All other bunkers on the course, regardless of whether they contain water, maintain their status as hazards and the Rules apply accordingly."

Of course 25-1c may also apply.

 

[chrisd]

I played at the London Club last year when they GUR'd all the bunkers with compulsory drop. Now, almost ever bunker there has steep sides which means the a ball almost always runs down into the bunker. So, there was no chance of having a NPR relief where the ball wasn't either 4 foot above or below stance level. As a result I saw several drops that were nowhere near the NPR!

I firmly believe it was a bad decision given their bunker set up

 

[bobmac]

You omitted the more significant part of the decision

However, in exceptional circumstances, where certain specific bunkers are completely flooded and there is no reasonable likelihood of the bunkers drying up during the round, the Committee may introduce a Local Rule providing relief without penalty fromspecific bunkers. Prior to introducing such a Local Rule, the Committee must be convinced that such exceptional circumstances exist and that providing relief without penalty from specific bunkers is more appropriate than simply applying Rule 25-1b(ii). If the Committee elects to introduce a Local Rule, the following wording is suggested:

I omitted that part because it dealt with specific bunkers so not relevant to the OP who said all bunkers were 'out of play' or am I missing something?

 

[Colin L]

It deals with specific bunkers because you must specify which bunkers are GUR.

 

[rulefan]

I omitted that part because it dealt with specific bunkers so not relevant to the OP who said all bunkers were 'out of play' or am I missing something?

I was just indicating what they should have done as not all were affected by the water.