Good video. Could you possibly do one showing the maximum available relief as that is not a common one and most players don't have a clue that they can do that?
What if you're unable to take complete relief within the bunker no closer to the hole? For example, your ball is the bunker, right up against the far side of the bunker (from the green), and it's in water. You're unable to find a location within the bunker that provides complete relief from the water. Does that mean you must choose either play it as it lies or one stroke penalty outside the bunker?
@@GolfRulesQuestions What if the only possible relief in the bunker is closer to the hole - for instance a large pool of water along the back edge of the bunker. I had this exact situation in a world ranking event and I asked for free relief outside the bunker and after 3 rules officials discussed I was granted free relief 1 club length behind the bunker. The next day the head rules official said they gave me a freebie but never explained where I should have dropped
@@CGarnerStump You cannot move closer to the hole. If there is no nearest point of complete relief in the bunker, you may still take relief by using the point of maximum available relief in the bunker. If you take maximum available relief, you will still have interference from the water (abnormal course condition) and you either play it as it lies or you may take further relief by using the back-on-the-line procedure outside the bunker, but for one penalty stroke. You cannot move closer to the hole.
I noticed there was a trodden area in the bunker. Would it be a breach of rule to drop in that area, as the ball would be less likely to plug, hence improving the lie one would normally get from a drop?
It would only be a breach if the player had purposefully walked around the area to improve their conditions. In a similar vein, the player is not allowed to rake their footprints because they were the cause of a worsened lie before they drop.
Whenever you take penalty or free relief, under any rule, anywhere on the course, you can use the original ball or substitute another ball as the ball in play.
If the bunker was full of water before the round began, the Committee should deem it ground under repair and provide players the option of playing from outside the bunker for no penalty, or make it a no play zone and force them to play outside for no penalty. GUR is the most common. If it has filled up through torrential rain during the round, then they won't make that change during a round. The player can try to find the maximum available relief or take relief outside for one penalty stroke.
@@GolfRulesQuestions Would be worth mentioning that when taking penalty relief, back on the line, it is no longer permitted to drop in a 1 clublength relief area. Instead you must drop it directly on the line and the point where the ball hits the ground is your reference point. The ball must then come to rest within the 1 clublength relief area (may be closer to the hole than the reference point) (16.1c) This was changed under the latest edition of the rules 1.st of January 2023 :)
I noticed you placed your footprints in the relief drop area you marked out with your driver and then dropped your ball very close to a footprint. I also notice people doing this where relief is taken for other conditions such as unplayable lie or relief from penalty areas. Often I see the thick grass pushed down by the footprints and the dew removed by those footprints too. Have you ever had anyone cite you for improving your lie? Should all of us be careful of this in the sand or in the fairway, or do the rules say it is okay to step all over the relief drop area? This is one of those things to keep aware of I think before you do anything to take relief. Ask yourself how am I going to treat my drop area before you start to work on it. Sort of similar to asking youself, should I pick up my ball off the cart path first, which is "No" because you may find you need to hit it off the cart path because the nearest point of relief may be in the bushes.
What if there is no relief in the bunker that is not closer to the hole? What if the entire bunker is full and there is no place to take relief in the bunker (shame on the course for their maintenance, but also should be discussed).
If the bunker was full of water before the round began, the Committee should deem it ground under repair and provide players the option of playing from outside the bunker for no penalty, or make it a no play zone and force them to play outside for no penalty. GUR is the most common. If it has filled up through torrential rain during the round, then they won't make that change during a round. The player can try to find the maximum available relief or take relief outside for one penalty stroke.
@@stuartmcphee6009 Thanks Stuart. With regard to my first question; no relief available that is not closer to the hole. How do the rules apply in that scenario? Or a more likely scenario, your drop continues to roll into the water (we have some highly sloped bunkers on our course).
@@edhawkes584 You cannot move closer to the hole. If there is no nearest point of 'complete' relief in the bunker, you may still take relief by using the point of 'maximum' available relief in the bunker. If you take 'maximum' available relief, you will still have interference from the water, including your ball coming to rest in the water after you drop. You either play it as it lies or you may take further relief by using the back-on-the-line procedure outside the bunker, but for one penalty stroke.
Thanks!
Good video. Could you possibly do one showing the maximum available relief as that is not a common one and most players don't have a clue that they can do that?
Will do next time Gerry.
Great tip Blakey!
What if you're unable to take complete relief within the bunker no closer to the hole? For example, your ball is the bunker, right up against the far side of the bunker (from the green), and it's in water. You're unable to find a location within the bunker that provides complete relief from the water. Does that mean you must choose either play it as it lies or one stroke penalty outside the bunker?
The free relief option then becomes dropping it at the Point of Maximum Available Relief. Where you may still have interference from the condition.
@@GolfRulesQuestions What if the only possible relief in the bunker is closer to the hole - for instance a large pool of water along the back edge of the bunker. I had this exact situation in a world ranking event and I asked for free relief outside the bunker and after 3 rules officials discussed I was granted free relief 1 club length behind the bunker. The next day the head rules official said they gave me a freebie but never explained where I should have dropped
@@CGarnerStump You cannot move closer to the hole. If there is no nearest point of complete relief in the bunker, you may still take relief by using the point of maximum available relief in the bunker. If you take maximum available relief, you will still have interference from the water (abnormal course condition) and you either play it as it lies or you may take further relief by using the back-on-the-line procedure outside the bunker, but for one penalty stroke. You cannot move closer to the hole.
I noticed there was a trodden area in the bunker. Would it be a breach of rule to drop in that area, as the ball would be less likely to plug, hence improving the lie one would normally get from a drop?
It would only be a breach if the player had purposefully walked around the area to improve their conditions. In a similar vein, the player is not allowed to rake their footprints because they were the cause of a worsened lie before they drop.
Is it true you can put another ball in play on the free relief option? I don't remember that.
Whenever you take penalty or free relief, under any rule, anywhere on the course, you can use the original ball or substitute another ball as the ball in play.
Am I missing something… "in the bunker for 2, penalty stroke drop 3, shoot 4, putting for par would have to be a par 5?
It is a par 5. The 12th at Spring Valley GC
Similar to other questions but, what if the whole bunker is under water? What would the ruling be?
Same ruling, but if there is no complete relief, then the player can try the find the point of maximum available relief, that is no nearer the hole.
If the bunker was full of water before the round began, the Committee should deem it ground under repair and provide players the option of playing from outside the bunker for no penalty, or make it a no play zone and force them to play outside for no penalty. GUR is the most common. If it has filled up through torrential rain during the round, then they won't make that change during a round. The player can try to find the maximum available relief or take relief outside for one penalty stroke.
Is that correct, two shots into bunker, penalty stroke, chip over the bunker onto the green then putting for Five?
Yeah spot on (it's a par 5 - something I forgot to mention).
can you rake your footsteps before dropping it?
No, they wouldn't be allowed to rake the sand they are about to drop in.
@@GolfRulesQuestions Would be worth mentioning that when taking penalty relief, back on the line, it is no longer permitted to drop in a 1 clublength relief area. Instead you must drop it directly on the line and the point where the ball hits the ground is your reference point. The ball must then come to rest within the 1 clublength relief area (may be closer to the hole than the reference point) (16.1c)
This was changed under the latest edition of the rules 1.st of January 2023 :)
I noticed you placed your footprints in the relief drop area you marked out with your driver and then dropped your ball very close to a footprint. I also notice people doing this where relief is taken for other conditions such as unplayable lie or relief from penalty areas. Often I see the thick grass pushed down by the footprints and the dew removed by those footprints too. Have you ever had anyone cite you for improving your lie? Should all of us be careful of this in the sand or in the fairway, or do the rules say it is okay to step all over the relief drop area? This is one of those things to keep aware of I think before you do anything to take relief. Ask yourself how am I going to treat my drop area before you start to work on it. Sort of similar to asking youself, should I pick up my ball off the cart path first, which is "No" because you may find you need to hit it off the cart path because the nearest point of relief may be in the bushes.
What if there is no relief in the bunker that is not closer to the hole?
What if the entire bunker is full and there is no place to take relief in the bunker (shame on the course for their maintenance, but also should be discussed).
If the bunker was full of water before the round began, the Committee should deem it ground under repair and provide players the option of playing from outside the bunker for no penalty, or make it a no play zone and force them to play outside for no penalty. GUR is the most common. If it has filled up through torrential rain during the round, then they won't make that change during a round. The player can try to find the maximum available relief or take relief outside for one penalty stroke.
@@stuartmcphee6009
Thanks Stuart. With regard to my first question; no relief available that is not closer to the hole. How do the rules apply in that scenario? Or a more likely scenario, your drop continues to roll into the water (we have some highly sloped bunkers on our course).
@@edhawkes584 You cannot move closer to the hole. If there is no nearest point of 'complete' relief in the bunker, you may still take relief by using the point of 'maximum' available relief in the bunker. If you take 'maximum' available relief, you will still have interference from the water, including your ball coming to rest in the water after you drop. You either play it as it lies or you may take further relief by using the back-on-the-line procedure outside the bunker, but for one penalty stroke.
@@stuartmcphee6009
Good. Thanks for the clarification.
Well, this is no longer accurate.
Hence the title