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Rules
by Gus Montano, AJGA
director of education
Welcome
to Rules 101! This page will give you a chance to test your
Rules knowledge and bone-up on the need-to-know Rules of Golf.
Rule 25: Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball and
Wrong Putting Green
For all of you at the Callaway Golf Junior
All-Star Classic at Kingwood, you should be familiar with
this rule. For all of you who were in more arid parts of the
country July 15-17 and didn't know, the first round actually
had to be cancelled because the only way we could navigate
the course was in canoes.
Everyone knows that when a golf course gets wet the ball tends
to plug, or often becomes "embedded" as the USGA
Rules states. At the same time, puddles, or "casual water,"
can also accumulate throughout the course.
Today, let's deal with casual water in a bunker: Decision
25-1b/8.
If
your ball comes to rest in casual water, follow
your options under Rule 25.
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Q:
After I cancelled the round at Kingwood, I decided to play
a few holes. Luckily, I had my FootJoy rain suit and shoes
so I wasn't worried about getting wet. I hit a drive that
flew directly into the middle of a bunker completely
covered in water. What are my options?
A: First, let's define "casual water." Rule 25 is
very clear on this definition. It states:
"Any temporary accumulation of water on the course
which is visible before or after the player takes his/her
stance and is not in a water hazard...A ball is in
casual water when it lies in or any part of it touches
the casual water."
Now that the definition is clear, besides playing the ball
as it lies, here are the three other options:
1.
Drop the ball in the bunker without penalty at the nearest
point, not nearer the hole, where the depth of the casual
water is least (Rule 25-1b(ii)a).
2. Drop the ball behind the bunker under penalty of one stroke
(Rule 25-1b(ii)b).
3. Declare the ball unplayable and proceed in accordance with
Rule 28.
If
casual water relief is still a mystery to you, or you have
any other Rules questions, consult your USGA Rules book, or
email Gus Montano, AJGA director of education, at gmontano@ajga.org.
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