What is the golf ruling if you hit out of a greenside bunker, directly over the flag and into the water?
Monday, December 14th, 2009 at
4:15 pm
Mike F asked:
I thought when you hit the ball into a water hazard you can drop it anywhere on the line that it crossed into the water hazard. But if it goes over the flag you must not be able to drop it on the green. I am unsure of the rule.
I thought when you hit the ball into a water hazard you can drop it anywhere on the line that it crossed into the water hazard. But if it goes over the flag you must not be able to drop it on the green. I am unsure of the rule.
Tagged with: Greenside Bunker • Water Drop • Water Hazard
Filed under: Golf Rules
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Good question.
The you may drop the ball as you indicated with the addition of “no closer to the hole”.
That would mean that in you example the player would have to drop on an imaginary circle created by distance from the hole to the point at which the ball crossed the hazard line and he would be outside the hazard. He could drop farther away but not closer.
You can research the rule here:
Here is an excerpt:
If a ball is in a water hazard or if it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in a water hazard (whether the ball lies in water or not), the player may under penalty of one stroke:
a. Play 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 to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped; or
c. As additional options available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole.
When proceeding under this Rule, the player may lift and clean his ball or substitute a ball.
you drop behind the lake or drop in the same place in the bunker
You have to follow the rules for hitting into a lateral hazard, no closer to the flag. Check the rule book.
If a player hits from a green side bunker, goes over the green and into the water he has two options. He may drop another ball in the bunker from which the ” water shot ” was played add the stroke and distance penalty. He may proceed to the opposite side of the water and play a ball from there again with the stroke and distance penalty. There is no going over the flag and dropping on the green. That is a ” No – No ! “