Bulkers

Hi All,

Can anybody confirm the rule on a bulker with water in it that's frozen over with no space to take a drop due to the amount of water.

Thanks

Simon

Simon, other than a ruling that the bunker is GUR your choices are between playing it as it lies or going back to where you played the previous shot from.

In my opinion greens staff should check bunkers every morning for situations like this and make them GUR, unfortunately they seem too lazy to do this as well as have no idea how to cut a hole on a green.

John your 1st line is under penalty 1 shot I take it? Can you not take the ball back in a line away from the hole as far as you want at the cost of a shot? Or drop out of bunker no nearer the hole 2 clubs length cost 1 shot? Dave CAC handed

This is from The Decisions

25-1b/8

Player's Options When Bunker Completely Covered by Casual Water

Q. If a player's ball lies in a bunker completely covered by casual water, what are his options?

A. The player may play the ball as it lies or:

(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); or

(2) drop the ball behind the bunker under penalty of one stroke - Rule 25-1b(ii)(b); or

(3) deem the ball unplayable and proceed in accordance with Rule 28.

Related Decisions:

� 25/13 Bunker Totally Under Repair.

� 33-8/27 Local Rule Providing Relief Without Penalty from Bunker Filled with Casual Water.

I believe that at one time you could move the ball to a similar bunker for no penalty, but that was short lived.

For any questions like this, if you go to the USGA website you can get to 'The Decisions' and a read through them is an eye opener, even for seasoned golfers. They are also available on the R&A website but not as easy to access.