Rules Query

[Down_The_Middle]

On Saturday H.I.D was playing in a medal comp.On the par 3 8th you have to hit your tee shot over a small lake (yellow stakes all round) H.I.D put her tee shot in the lake. She was going to hit another one from the tee but her playing partners(3) said she could drop a ball to the side of the lake under a penalty shot. I always thought the drop should have been in front of the lake at the point where the ball crossed the hazzard.

Also on another hole one of the other ladies hit their ball across a lake and landed on a stoney bank on the far side still in the hazzard. Again she was told by the other (2) players that she could drop a ball near to where here ball had landed.Again shouldnt the drop had been on near side where the ball went across the margin of the hazzard


CheerS DTM

 

[Down_The_Middle]

I take it I answered my own question right then

 

[barb]

Hi DTM
I think you are right. Where abouts in Oxon do you play?
Barb

 

[Down_The_Middle]

Witney lakes

 

[backwoodsman]

On Saturday H.I.D was playing in a medal comp.On the par 3 8th you have to hit your tee shot over a small lake (yellow stakes all round) H.I.D put her tee shot in the lake. She was going to hit another one from the tee but her playing partners(3) said she could drop a ball to the side of the lake under a penalty shot. I always thought the drop should have been in front of the lake at the point where the ball crossed the hazzard.

HID has two - possibly three - options. To play another from same spot as last shot. Or to drop a ball as far back as she likes on a line extending from flag through where the ball last crossed the hazard margin. (Which wouldn't be to the side - unless she'd hit a stupendous hook/slice?) Third option would be to use the dropping zone, but this only permitted if specifically set up/authorised by a local rule. All options under penalty of 1 shot.

Also on another hole one of the other ladies hit their ball across a lake and landed on a stoney bank on the far side still in the hazzard. Again she was told by the other (2) players that she could drop a ball near to where here ball had landed.Again shouldnt the drop had been on near side where the ball went across the margin of the hazzard

If ball still in hazard, yes - ball last crossed the margin of the hazard on the "near" side, so same options apply as they did to HID

 

[SammmeBee]

Or take off the shoes and socks.....

 

[backwoodsman]

Or take off the shoes and socks.....

Indeed - I always forget that you can play the blighter.

And am d*mn sure I read somewhere recently that if half or more of the ball is above water, then play it; if not, drop it.

 

[theeaglehunter]

And am d*mn sure I read somewhere recently that if half or more of the ball is above water, then play it; if not, drop it.

You did it was in this months mag in the instruction section. I read it last night.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I tried it many years ago as a junior with a mate as part of a practice session to see if we could hit out of a pond. The consensus after getting our waterproofs soaked and covered in mud was that unless 70% is visible i.e. only just in the water it is genereally less likely to be a reasonable shot to take on than attempt.

I found that the deeper in the more the water refraction(?) made it harder to accurately hit behind the ball and the more the water resistance made it physically hard to get the club travelling fast enough to move the ball out of the hazard.

My advice would be to only attempt this shot in say a matchplay event where it is tight and perhaps you are drinking at last chance saloon or you are in a major competition and need to find something to close the deal out.

Other than that all I can recommend is taking your one stroke penalty. 9/10 you will only score a double at worse but if you try and play it the dreaded 8 or worse looms on your card

 

[vig]

Ditto to the penalty shot. I played one that had carried the water, by millimetres, was on grass that was just covered by water but all of ball gettable. HID thought i'd been mud wrestling when I got home.