Robbed by a 'Silly Golf Rule'

[vkurup]

Played monthly S/F yesterday. First hole (P5)...
> Driver gone to the right (sometimes called a slice)
> 2nd shot... fairly decent but the ball still among the trees. leaving 135y to centre. Flag at back and protected by bunkers
> Beautiful 8i splits the tree and nearly gets on the green but gets into the bunker. PP/FC applaud

All I needed to do was get up and down. Strode up to see that the bunker only to realise that the bunker was flooded. I could see the ball, but cant hit as it is underwater. No place to drop the ball. 5 mins of discussion later, had to drop the ball outside the bunker with a 1 stroke penalty.

1 stroke penalty and it was not even my fault. Finished with 1 point on the hole, and wrecked my front nine. Otherwise front 9 was 2s or 3s. (Dont ask me about back 9)

 

[DCB]

Why had the Club not made provision for this. After recent weather a flooded bunker won't be an unusual occurrence so to play a comp without any local rules in place is a bit silly IMO.

 

[Airlie_Andy]

1 point wrecked your front 9?

 

[BTatHome]

Surely the fault was hitting it into a bunker, and not taking the right club to reach the green

Of course you could also lay blame on the committee for not declaring the bunker GUR before the comp was started.

 

[garyinderry]

I can see your frustration but at the same time you went into a trap. you can't expect to get an advantage just because the trap is full of water.

 

[chris661]

Oh god. Here we go again.

 

[Slab]

Not sure I get it, three shots to bunker, 4th is penalty drop, your up and down is 6 in total and 2 points for an 18 handicapper on a par 5!

 

[dufferman]

A bunker isn't OOB, so there should never be a penalty for going in one. Simple. It makes it a harder shot (most of the time) being in a bunker, but never a stock 1 shot penalty.

Bad show of club not putting local rule in place.

 

[vkurup]

All of us agreed that it was the clubs fault for not declaring most bunkers as GUR. As we made our way thru, you could see people fishing for their balls and starting to get their scuba gear out.

From where I was, there was no way of seeing if the bunker was flooded, so it was an unplanned visit to the bunker. Avoiding the bunker was not an option either from among the trees

3rd into the bunker, 4th drop, 5th chipped on, 6&7th putt.. 7 for 1 on an 18 HC. boo hoo hoo...

 

[richart]

We had a bunker full of water, and so it was made GUR. Other bunkers had puddles but room to drop so playable. Seems like our greenkeeper was just doing his job properly.

 

[Birchy]

Surely everybody carries a bucket with them at this time of year?

 

[Robobum]

So, covered the point regarding bad planning by the club......

But, slice off the tee - 2nd shot into the trees - 3rd shot into "sand".........you are a h'cap golfer not Seve!!! If that resulted in only one dropped shot, you should be quite pleased

 

[garyinderry]

not getting out of the trees first time was the mistake here!

 

[pbrown7582]

You covered the lost point on the front nine? Other holes were 2's and 3's
Plus surely you were lucky to get 125 yard towards the green from in the trees and not have to play 12 yards sideways back to fairway.
Think you maybe using the rule (albeit possibly unfair but it is a hazard after all.) as an excuse.
Rub of the green IMO sometimes you get lucky (hit tree and stay in bounds?) other times you suffer.

 

[Alex1975]

Going to use a racing driver expression for this one.... It was the same for everyone.... I would not have been pleased though.

 

[patricks148]

Thats golf, no one said it was Fair, anyway what would you have said if it took you 3 shots to get out of the bunker anyway?

 

[Alex1975]

Thats golf, no one said it was Fair, anyway what would you have said if it took you 3 shots to get out of the bunker anyway?

Robbed by sodden wet sand....

 

[Slab]

But even if bunker had no water the assumption of an up & down might be a tad optimistic from a green-side bunker in winter

Out and three putts wouldn't be unheard of or thin out, chip back and two putts, both still only get you one point

Remaining in the trees for the third shot limiting approach options to the green was probably the errant shot of the hole

But sympathize, nobody wants a penalty for a waterlogged bunker

 

[jimbob.someroo]

Thats golf, no one said it was fair, anyway what would you have said if it took you 3 shots to get out of the bunker anyway?

Yup, as harsh as it sounds, you have the option still to play it (albeit getting very wet), or to drop out. Even if there was no water, there's nothing to say you wouldn't have thinned it 30 yards over the green - with hard, wet sand it's more likely than ever - in which case, the drop out could have saved you a shot.

In all reality, the course should have made it GUR, as they've done at our place. However, hate to say it but it's the same for everybody and it sounds as if you were lucky to have the gap to get up there in the first place! You could have been chipping out sideways and playing your 4th from 130 yards back.

Tough taters, just be thankful it wasn't in a big comp.

 

[harpo_72]

Seems to me that you were just suffering your initial poor shots. Here is an example of poor rules and bad luck. I hit a driver down the left side of Ellesborough #4 hole, carried the ridge, the land slopes down and left to right, so the ball goes across the fairway to the rough. Their is very little chance of holding the fairway, dunno why they cut it at all. So my ball is now in the rough, its okay this is normal for this hole, the lie will be on a slight downslope, this is okay I know my club will be delofted its 80 yards in from here and its a raised green so its an easy shot. Unfortunately my ball came to rest in the longest divot and was up to the equator deep. On the fairway I would use the winter rule and mark, clean and replace within specified distance but not in said divot. However in the rough, I am cattle trucked .. I will make it worse, by playing the shot.
So unrepaired divots and spike marks on greens should have some different regulation, or I will drag my feet on every green and leave huge divots ... If I get the first tee time out in a comp! (I wouldn't really .. I hate these things)