Know your Golf The Rules of Golf
During the course of our last game of golf at Spring Park, which I must say was played in pretty inclement weather and it was a bit wet under foot.
It came to my notice that a few of our members were unaware of the ruling for casual water, and that they can obtain relief under rule 25-1 if their ball lies in casual water.
'Casual water' is any temporary accumulation of water on the course which is visible before or after the player takes his stance and is not in a water hazard.
Snow and natural ice, other than frost, are either casual water or loose impediments, at the option of the player.
Manufactured ice is an obstruction. Dew and frost are not casual water.
A ball is in casual water when it lies in or any part of it touches the casual water.
RELIEF:
(i) Through the green: -
If your ball is in casual water, the point on the course nearest to where the ball lies shall be determined which (a) is not nearer the hole, (b) avoids interference by the condition, and (c) is not in a hazard or on a putting green. The player shall lift the ball and drop it without penalty within one club-length of the point thus determined on a part of the course which fulfils (a), (b) and (c) above.
(ii) In a hazard: -
If the ball is in a hazard, the player shall lift and drop the ball either: (a) without penalty, in the hazard, as near as possible to the spot to where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole, on a part of the course which affords maximum available relief from the condition; or (b) Under penalty of one stroke, outside the hazard, 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 hazard the ball may be dropped.
(iii) On the putting green: -
If the ball lies on the putting green, the player shall lift the ball and place it without penalty in the nearest position to where it lay which affords maximum available relief from the condition, but not nearer the hole or in a hazard.
So if you are one of the many players not too sure of the rules and you find your ball has ended up in a puddle of water and you are unsure of what to do, ask your playing partners for a ruling. One of them is bound to know the rule.
Remember the rules of golf were not formed to deter players, they were formed to try and help players get a better understanding of the game and play fair.
I hope this has helped in some way, so until next time,
may you hit the ball long and putt it true.
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