whats the ruling?

[fat80b]

I was playing a round by myself this afternoon and ended up in a greenside bunker.

As I got to the bunker, I realised that the bunker looked like Dunkirk and was not raked at all (even though there was a rake in there).

As I was cursing the state of the bunker, I realised that the whole bunker was marked as GUR as they were attempting to repair the face of the bunker. This explained the fact that it was not in its usual well raked state.

ahh, Fair enough.... what to do though.... I figured the correct thing to do was check the rules so I opened the rule book and it turns out it is totally unclear (to me) what to do.....

rule 25-1 appears to be the one, but it doesn't really cover the case where the whole bunker is marked GUR as far as I can tell.

In the end, I dropped behind the bunker and can't decide whether a 1 shot penalty should be added or not ?

I think it should be no penalty as there was no way of dropping still in the bunker but outside of the GUR?

thoughts?

Bob

 

[FG_HOOR]

if the whole bunker is GUR then you should take a drop one club length from the nearest point of relief no closer to the hole

 

[chris661]

At my place the bunkers are being rebuilt and when they are working on them the greenkeepers paint a whit line all round the bunker and mark it as GUR, there is also a local rule saying that you MUST drop out of GUR but I think you can decide whether to or not normally?

 

[Smiffy]

There is also a local rule saying that you MUST drop out of GUR but I think you can decide whether to or not normally?

As far as I am aware, unless a local rule forbids you from playing out of GUR, you are free to play the shot as it lies rather than take a free drop.
Not all lies in GUR are crap!

 

[MashieNiblick]

Good question. Normally you would have to take a penalty if you drop out of a hazard because of abnormal ground conditions such as when a bunker is flooded.

However if the bunker is completely under the repair Decision 25/13 says

"If a bunker is being renovated and the Committee defines the entire bunker as ground under repair, the bunker loses its status as a hazard and is automatically classified as “through the green”. Therefore, unless a Committee specifically states otherwise, Rule 25-1b(i) applies, not Rule 25-1b(ii). (Revised)"

Which means you get a free drop

"within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green."

The Rules chappies do seem to have all these things covered in the decisions.

I have to say that I can't rate the Rules Explorer on the R and A website too highly it's absolutely brilliant for this kind of stuff.

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-of-Golf.aspx#/rules/

If you're bored and it's raining it's fascinating reading through the decisions.

E.g just at random

14/3 Clubhead Separates from Shaft on Downswing

Q. A player starts his downswing and the clubhead separates from the shaft. The player continues his swing but no contact is made with the ball. Did the player make a stroke?

A. Yes.

Great stuff

 

[fat80b]

you are free to play the shot as it lies rather than take a free drop.
Not all lies in GUR are crap!

I did consider that but I dont think that this is allowed. (the fact rake was in the bunker made me think I might be able to where the rakes have been removed from other bunkers under repair.)

but rule 25-1 b(ii) says "must" - i.e.

(ii) In a Bunker: If the ball is in a bunker, the player must lift the ball and drop it ....

I would also think that the greenkeeper would be pretty annoyed if people were ignoring GUR at other places on the course - e.g. areas of replanted grass etc, and would not expect people to ever play from them until they were no longer marked GUR?

I still don't know if the drop is free or not though from the rule - as you have to drop outside the bunker (also outside of the GUR within 1 club length) - is the drop also a penalty?

The more I read it, the more I think it has to be a penalty:
i.e. 25-1 b (ii) b :

(b) Under penalty of one stroke, outside the bunker keeping the point where the ball lay directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the bunker the ball may be dropped.

this appears to be regardless of the fact that you can't drop inside the bunker.


Bob

 

[freddielong]

If a hazard is marked GUR then it is no longer a hazard, it is GUR and would be treated as normal GUR ie free drop within one no nearer

And it is a MUST rule not a can

 

[MashieNiblick]

Hope my ealier post helped. By the way I'm pretty sure Smiffy is right that strictly you don't have to drop if GUR or other abnormal ground conditions interfere with your stance or swing (unless there is a local rule requiring this). Rule 25-1 b says

"b. Relief
Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an abnormal ground condition as follows:..."

And as I read it the "must" in 25-1 b(ii) simply stipulates how you must drop if you choose to do so.

The rule of course relates to abnormal ground conditions in general of which GUR is only one. However most places do have a local rule that prohibits play from GUR in order to protect the bits of the course that are being repaired and we have this at our place. In which case then of course you must take relief as stipulated in 25-1 b or as otherwise provided for in the local rule.

 

[viscount17]

I'm in the MUST camp. I believe it's also penalty if you take your stance in GUR not just play the ball from it.