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Rules Enter Sand Man


THERE ARE IMPORTANT RULES DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN A BALL IN A BUNKER AND A NATURAL SANDY AREA AT THE NEW POPPY HILLS. ARE THERE ANY OTHER RULES SITUATIONS THAT WILL COME UP AT THE NEW POPPY THAT WE DIDN’T HAVE BEFORE?


A


t Poppy Hills Golf Course, we now have two kinds of sandy areas throughout the


golf course. New to Poppy Hills are the “natural sandy areas” or NSAs, which are defi ned by dark tan sand. These areas are fi rmer than traditional bunkers, and are through the green. The phrase through the green is a defi ned term in the Rules of Golf, and includes any part of the golf course except for the teeing ground and put- ting green of the hole being played, and any hazards on the course. So a ball that comes to rest in an NSA is treated exactly the same as a ball that comes to rest in the fairway or rough. There are some key differ- ences for a ball that comes to rest in an NSA, rather than a bunker:


1


Rule 13-4 (Ball in Hazard; Prohibited


Actions) does not apply to an NSA. This means that a player may ground his club, test the condition or move loose impediments (without moving the ball).


2


Relief for an unplay- able ball can be


taken outside the NSA under all three options. Unlike bunkers, when a ball comes to rest in an NSA and is declared unplayable, if the fairway is within two club-lengths of the ball and no nearer to the hole, a player may drop the ball in the fairway. Rule 28 (Ball Unplayable) stipulates that if a ball is unplayable in a bunker, the ball must be dropped in the bunker. Since the NSA is through the green, it does not matter if relief is taken outside the NSA. Relief for obstructions or casual water can be taken outside the NSA. Under Rules 24-2 (Im- movable Obstructions) and 25-1 (Abnormal Ground Conditions), if a player has interference by an obstruc- tion or an abnormal ground condition (ground under repair, casual water or bur- rowing animal hole) in a bunker, relief must be taken inside the bunker. Because an NSA is through the green, if the nearest point


3


of relief or one club-length from the nearest point of relief happens to be outside the NSA, the ball may be dropped outside that NSA. So while an NSA is still


not somewhere you want your ball to end up, the Rules are a lot friendlier than if the ball comes to rest in a bunker. Something that won’t be


friendlier is an embedded ball. Even though NCGA Championships use a Local Rule permitting relief for an embedded ball through the green, there is an excep- tion. That Local Rule denies relief for a ball embedded in sand in an area that is not closely-mown. Just like in the sand dunes of Spyglass Hill, if a ball embeds in an NSA, a player is not entitled to relief, and must either play the ball as it lies, or declare it unplay- able and proceed under Rule 28.


By Ryan Farb PGA Assistant Director of Rules and Competitions


On-Course Rules Seminars


The NCGA off ers four on-course rules seminars in June and October. The seminars take golfers out on the course for a half day of situational-based rules education. The class teaches the rules through a variety of stations that translate directly to a better understanding on the course. From water hazards to bunkers, obstructions, and the putting green, this interactive seminar provides hands-on instruction for a variety of practical scenarios.


The $40 price for NCGA mem- bers ($20 for NCGA volunteers, $50 for non-members) includes continental breakfast, lunch and a Rules of Golf book. Appropriate golf attire required.


Schedule • Saturday, June 7 Poppy Ridge, Livermore 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.


• Saturday, June 14 Poppy Hills, Pebble Beach 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.


• Monday, October 13* [Course TBD] 8 a.m.-3 p.m.


• Tuesday, October 21* Rancho Murieta 8 a.m.-3 p.m.


*The fall seminars include teeing ground, out of bounds, ball unplayable and scoring.


68 / NCGA.ORG / SPRING 2014


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