Hole #7 – Lateral Water Hazard & Cart Path

The process for taking relief from the creek (Lateral Water Hazard) to the left of Hole #7 does not change due to the new cart path. You still have 4 options for relief, all under penalty of one stroke (Rule 26-1). If you elect to take the two club-length option, the ball must be dropped within two club-lengths of where it last crossed the hazard margin. Under this option, you may be required to drop the ball on the cart path. If the ball rolls back into the hazard or more than two club-lengths from where it first landed, re-drop the ball. If it rolls to one of these positions again, then place it where it first landed on the second drop. Once relief from the water hazard is complete, if you then have interference from the cart path, you may now take relief from the cart path, by dropping the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, but not in the hazard (Rule 24-2).

The important point is that the relief procedure may result in a two-step process. You may not skip a step by dropping the ball from the water hazard to the other side of the cart path if your two club-length area under the water hazard Rule does not reach to the fairway side of the path.
References: Rule 26-1, Rule 24-2, Rule 20-2c

References: Definition of “Casual Water”, Definition of “Nearest Point of Relief”, Rule 25-

The answer depends on whether the ball first came to rest when you replaced it before it moved.

If it did come to rest, then you do play it as it lies from its new position without penalty (whether further from or closer to the hole).

However, if the ball never came to rest on its original position, then you must replace the ball.

Reference: Rule 20-3d; 20-4

There is a one stroke penalty, and you must replace the ball to its original position. If you fail to replace the ball, you will incur a total penalty of loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play.

(References: Rule 18-2a and Decision 18-2a/20)

If your ball may be lost or out of bounds, remember to play a provisional ball to save time. If you do elect to play a provisional ball, you must announce your intentions to do so to those in your group, and you must also play it before you go forward to search for the original ball.

Playing a ball at a later time, (such as after you have searched for two minutes and returned to play another while the others still look), is not a provisional ball and becomes the ball in play under the stroke and distance penalty.

Rules reference: Definition of “Provisional Ball”; Rule 27

The Local Rule for Preferred Lies/Winter Rules has been amended for 2004. The new Local Rule is more specific and a bit more restrictive. When playing preferred lies, you may only move the ball if it lies in the fairway or other area mowed to fairway height. Before moving the ball, you must mark its position (a tee, coin, divot repair tool are all acceptable ball marks). The ball must then be placed on its new position that is not closer to the hole than where it originally lay.

Here’s part of the new language: Under this new Local Rule, the ball may only be placed once. Once it has been placed, it is in play and you may not touch it further. Additionally, the ball must be placed with your hand. If the ball is rolled with a club or moved in any other manner or you do not mark the ball before moving it, you incur a penalty of one stroke.

(References: Appendix I; Part B; 3b)

By definition, a branch or fallen tree that is no longer fixed or growing (not attached to the stump) is a loose impediment. There is no size limit on a loose impediment. You may believe that it is unreasonable to be expected to remove such a large loose impediment. But you can receive assistance from the others in your group. Another option is to break off a piece of the large branch. Additionally, if the material has been piled for removal by the greenskeeping staff, it then becomes ground under repair, from which you are entitled to relief without penalty.

References: Definitions of “Loose Impediments” and “Ground Under Repair,” Rule 23-1.

Before detailing the relief options, here is your key to remembering the difference: Water Hazard is two words, and you have two options in addition to playing the ball as it lies. Lateral Water Hazard is three words and you have three options in addition to playing the ball as it lies.

When the ball rolls into a water hazard (yellow), you may either play from the point where you last played, or you may drop the ball behind the hazard (the hazard is between you and the hole) on a line which keeps the point where your ball last entered into the hazard between you and the hole. Note this may be on a different angle from the ball's original flight into the hazard.

For lateral water hazards (red) you have the same two options described above available, in addition to one other. The additional option is to drop the ball within two club-lengths from the point where the ball last entered into the hazard. The two club-lengths must be measured from the margin of the hazard, and you can not drop the ball closer to the hole. The often forgotten option under the two club-lengths option is to drop a ball on the opposite margin of the lateral water hazard equidistant from the hole. How does this work? If your ball hits a tree on #7 and bounces on the bank on the left (Hole #6 side) of the creek at 120 yards from the hole, and then rolls back into the creek, you may take a point on the right side of the creek at 120 yards from the hole and drop within two club-lengths from there.

References: Rule 26-1a, b, and c.

Jack and Dianne are scheduled to play an 18 hole match. They begin their match on Saturday afternoon and the weather turns and the course becomes unplayable. They stop play after the 11th hole with Dianne 1 up. They decide to resume their match on the next day. From where do they begin play on Sunday?

A. Jack and Dianne must resume their match on the 12th tee, with Dianne 1 up. A match may not be cancelled and replayed. However, if this were a stroke play competition, they may cancel and replay the round subject to the Committee's approval.

References: Rule 6-8; Rule 33-2d.

(reprinted from the 2002-2003 Decisions on the Rules of Golf)
Decision 25/16

However, he incurs a penalty stroke under Rule 18-2a for moving his ball in play, and the ball must be replaced.

(reprinted from the 2002-2003 Decisions on the Rules of Golf)

My tee shot from the first tee went straight left, and landed just shy of the out-of-bounds line. However, the fence just beyond the stakes interferes with my swing. May I take relief as this is an immovable obstruction?

References: Definition of "Obstructions" and Decision 24-2b/21.

You incur a one stroke penalty and must replace the ball. However, if you were searching for the ball in a hazard or an abnormal ground condition there is no penalty. The answer would be the same if you ran over the ball with the cart or if your caddie moved the ball while searching for it.

(Reference: Rule 18-2a.)

It is true that Rule 16-1a states that loose impediments on the line of putt may only be removed with a hand or club. However, Rule 16-1a only applies to the player's line of putt. The "Line of Putt" is defined as the line which the player wishes his ball to take after a stroke on the putting green. As Beem's ball did not lie on the putting green, Rule 16-1a did not apply and he was entitled to remove the loose impediments by any means.

Examples of loose impediments on the putting green are sand, loose soil, leaves, twigs, etc. Remember that sand and loose soil are not loose impediments any other place on the course.

(Reference: Rule 16-1a(i); Definitions of "Line of Putt" and "Loose Impediments")

The ball at rest was moved by an outside agency (the squirrel), and Rule 18-1 applies. You do not incur a penalty, and must replace the ball. If the ball is not recoverable or is damaged, you may substitute another ball. Additionally, if you are not certain of the spot where the ball originally lay, place it as near as possible to that spot.

(References: Rule 18-1 and Rule 20-3c)

Jason did not make a stroke, but incurs a penalty of one stroke and must replace the ball. If he does not replace the ball, and plays it from its new position, he incurs a loss of hole penalty in match play or a total penalty of two strokes in stroke play.

Please refer to Rule 18-2a.

Chris incurs a one stroke penalty because he is considered to have caused the ball to move. As in Jason’s case, Chris must replace the ball. If he does not replace the ball, he incurs a penalty of loss of hole in match play or a total penalty of two strokes in stroke play.

Please refer to Rule 18-2b.

(References: Rules 18-2a; 18-2b; Decision 18-2a/20)

My tee shot on the 9th hole went straight left and ended up on the 8th fairway. On my second shot, my ball hit the telephone lines. What is the ruling?

You must play the ball from where it comes to rest. The telephone lines are an outside agency, and when the ball in motion is deflected by an outside agency, it must be played as it lies. Other examples of outside agencies are: a player in another group, beverage cart, obstructions, animals, etc.

(References: Rule 19-1, Definition of “Outside Agency”)

What are immovable obstructions and when may I take relief from them?

Interference from an immovable obstruction occurs when the ball lies on the obstruction, your stance is on the obstruction or the ball lies so close to it, the obstruction interferes with your area of intended swing. You are not entitled to relief if the obstruction only intervenes on the line of play. This is not interference as defined in Rule 24-2a.

Once it is determined that interference exists, you may take relief without penalty by determining the nearest point of relief and dropping the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, not closer to the hole.

Relief from an immovable obstruction may be taken anywhere, except for when the ball lies in a water hazard. When the ball lies in a water hazard, the ball may be played as it lies, or you may proceed under the water hazard Rule. This applies whether the immovable obstruction lies in or out of the water hazard.

References: Definition of "Obstructions," Rule 24-2a

When a ball is out of bounds, the only option the player has is to play a ball as near as possible from where the original ball was last played. In this case, the player must play from the bunker again. Additionally, the player is permitted to smooth his footprints and other irregularities he made in the sand before dropping the ball. Exception 2 under Rule 13-4 allows a player to smooth irregularities in a bunker after playing a stroke in the bunker. Although the ball will be dropped in the bunker under Rule 27-1, this right to rake the bunker overrides any other conflicting provisions in the Rules.

References: Rules 13-4 and 27-1, Decision 13-4/37