The 14th Hole - Hazzard
Greens Committee
Water Hazards and the 14th Pond
There seems to be some confusion over how you take relief if your ball enters the water at the 14th hole.
Firstly Rule 26-1 applies. Assuming you are certain your ball entered the water and have a reasonable idea where it crossed the margin of the hazard the following sections of the rule applies:-
Under penalty of one stroke, you may proceed as follows
a. Proceed under the stroke and distance provision of Rule 27-1 by playing a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played ( see Rule 20-5), or
b. Drop a ball behind the water hazard keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped with no limit as to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped, or
c. As additional option available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (1) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (11) a point on the opposite margin of the hazard equidistant from the hole.
In regard to the pond at 14 Section (b) above in red is the relevant rule. The entire pond and cascade is a normal water hazard and not a lateral water hazard. So if your ball enters the pond from anywhere you may not drop your ball within two club-lengths of the point of entry.
There are three possible scenarios at 14 in regard to balls entering the pond.
Scenario 1 - See attached diagram
You are playing your ball from the tee side of the pond and your ball ends up in the water. You simply drop a ball on the tee side of the pond keeping the point where your ball entered the pond between you and the hole and you can go as far back as you like on that line.
Scenario 2 - See attached diagram
You are already over the cascade and there is no water between you and the hole and you pull the shot and it goes into the pond. You identify the point of entry and then go back to the tee side of the hole keeping that entry point between you and the flag as shown by the red line Scenario 2 in the diagram.
Scenario 3 - See attached diagram
Your ball has entered the cascade itself. Again you cannot take the two club-length relief option. You find your entry point and you must then drop your ball on a line between your entry point and the flag or hole (as shown in the diagram, thin red in Scenario 3).
Click HERE for Full Diagram
Henry Doran
04/07/17
There seems to be some confusion over how you take relief if your ball enters the water at the 14th hole.
Firstly Rule 26-1 applies. Assuming you are certain your ball entered the water and have a reasonable idea where it crossed the margin of the hazard the following sections of the rule applies:-
Under penalty of one stroke, you may proceed as follows
a. Proceed under the stroke and distance provision of Rule 27-1 by playing a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played ( see Rule 20-5), or
b. Drop a ball behind the water hazard keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped with no limit as to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped, or
c. As additional option available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (1) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (11) a point on the opposite margin of the hazard equidistant from the hole.
In regard to the pond at 14 Section (b) above in red is the relevant rule. The entire pond and cascade is a normal water hazard and not a lateral water hazard. So if your ball enters the pond from anywhere you may not drop your ball within two club-lengths of the point of entry.
There are three possible scenarios at 14 in regard to balls entering the pond.
Scenario 1 - See attached diagram
You are playing your ball from the tee side of the pond and your ball ends up in the water. You simply drop a ball on the tee side of the pond keeping the point where your ball entered the pond between you and the hole and you can go as far back as you like on that line.
Scenario 2 - See attached diagram
You are already over the cascade and there is no water between you and the hole and you pull the shot and it goes into the pond. You identify the point of entry and then go back to the tee side of the hole keeping that entry point between you and the flag as shown by the red line Scenario 2 in the diagram.
Scenario 3 - See attached diagram
Your ball has entered the cascade itself. Again you cannot take the two club-length relief option. You find your entry point and you must then drop your ball on a line between your entry point and the flag or hole (as shown in the diagram, thin red in Scenario 3).
Click HERE for Full Diagram
Henry Doran
04/07/17