Over the summer we had a ton of rain here. Courses were soggy, bunkers holding water, the whole 9 yards (had to say it). But, what happened on one hole caused a problem during league night.

A ball came to rest in water, but not inside the hazard markers. The small pond had overflowed due to the rain. What technically defines where the hazard starts? It it the markers, or where the water starts?

We considered it casual water and gave the player two club lengths of relief without penalty. Was that the correct ruling? Or is that water the flowed out side of the hazard markers considered part of the hazard?

thanks!

Overflow from a water hazard is casual water.

thank you!

I believe, since there were visible stakes marking the water hazard, the relief allowed was correct. If there were no visible stakes I believe the edge of the water, even though it was beyond the pond bank would define the hazard.

Hope someone else will confirm this or provide the correct ruling.....maybe even the decision number, I believe there is one.

Here are the closest applicable decisions I could quickly find.

Because of 26/2, if the hazard is not marked, it is the responsibility of the players to define the natural boundaries in determining the possibility of relief.

Kevin

25/2 Overflow from Water Hazard
Q. If a pond (water hazard) has overflowed, is the overflow casual water?

A. Yes. Any overflow of water from a water hazard which is outside the margin of the hazard is casual water.


26/2 Ball Within Natural Margin of Water Hazard But Outside Stakes Defining Margin
Q. Stakes defining the margin of a water hazard were improperly installed. As a result, an area which clearly was part of the water hazard was outside the stakes and, thus, technically was outside the hazard. A player’s ball came to rest in water in this area. The player claimed that, in view of the alignment of the stakes, his ball was in casual water through the green. Was the claim valid?

A. No. The Committee erred in not properly defining the margin of the hazard as required by Rule 33-2a, but a player is not entitled to take advantage of such an error. Since it was clear that the place where the player’s ball lay was within the natural boundaries of the water hazard, the claim should not be upheld.

thanks again. sounds like 25/2 Overflow from Water Hazard was the right one for this instance.

Proper relief from casual water would be nearest point of relief plus one club, not two club lengths as given in the OP.

"The player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief."

Good catch, we all focused on one question and missed the most obvious part of the equation that was handled improperly.

Kevin

hey hey! good catch is right! So he got an extra club... good thing it was my partner's match and not mine!

Well... then there could have been another debate... how much water constitutes casual water?? Course was quite saturated... is there a said amount, or is it judgement.

Casual Water
"Casual water" is any temporary accumulation of water on the course that is not in a water hazard and is visible before or after the player takes his stance. 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.

Kev, you the man!

SO, when the gentleman took 2 clubs lengths and played his ball... instead of the one. What is the penalty for that?

Two strokes (loss of hole in match play) for playing from the wrong place, provided a serious breach of the rules has not been committed.

Perfect, 20-7. Playing from Wrong Place.

Kevin

So the rule is that if your ball lands in casual water,you get one club length from the nearest point of relief,not from where the ball actually comes to rest correct? So it may be more than one club length that you actually moved the ball right? Thanks for the help. Todd

You got it.

25-1b. Relief

Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an abnormal ground condition as follows:

(i) Through the Green: If the ball lies through the green, the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the condition and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.

(ii) In a Bunker: If the ball is in a bunker, the player must lift the ball and drop it either:

(a) Without penalty, in accordance with Clause(i) above, except that the nearest point of relief must be in the bunker and the ball must be dropped in the bunker or, if complete relief is impossible, as near as possible to the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole, on a part of the course in the bunker that affords maximum available relief from the condition; or

(b) Under penalty of one stroke, outside the bunker, 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 bunker the ball may be dropped.

(iii) On the Putting Green: If the ball lies on the putting green, the player must lift the ball and place it, without penalty, at the nearest point of relief that is not in a hazard or, if complete relief is impossible, at the nearest position to where it lay that affords maximum available relief from the condition, but not nearer the hole and not in a hazard. The nearest point of relief or maximum available relief may be off the putting green.

(iv) On the Teeing Ground: If the ball lies on the teeing ground, the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, in accordance with Clause(i) above.

The ball may be cleaned when lifted under Rule 25-1b.

(Ball rolling to a position where there is interference by the condition from which relief was taken - see Rule 20-2c(v).)

Exception: A player may not take relief under this Rule if (a) it is clearly unreasonable for him to make a stroke because of interference by anything other than an abnormal ground condition or (b) interference by an abnormal ground condition would occur only through use of an unnecessarily abnormal stance, swing or direction of play.

Note 1: If a ball is in a water hazard (including a lateral water hazard), the player is not entitled to relief without penalty from interference by an abnormal ground condition. The player must play the ball as it lies (unless prohibited by Local Rule) or proceed under Rule 26-1.

Note 2: If a ball to be dropped or placed under this Rule is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted.