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This weekend, our association owned course, The OGA Golf Course hosted our 24th Oregon Net Championship and I could not be happier with course conditions and the way the Championship turned out.
Significant time was invested by OGA staff on each hole to determine how the holes should be marked to reduce confusion among players and allow for the proper application of the Rules of Golf. During the Net Championships, the course debuted updated markings, including changes to hazards and redefined boundary lines. Changes are present on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, & 18. A more detailed account of the changes can be found here at the OGA website:
http://www.oga.org/club/scripts/library/view_document.asp?CLNK=1&GRP=0&pg=section&NS=TR&DID=74144&APP=80
In addition to the course changes, Brent Whittaker (Director of Tournament Operations), our TAG Team Volunteers and I had an “eventful” weekend from the perspective of a Rules Official. Much of our course was built with obstructions bordering lateral water hazards. As a Rules Official, great attention is needed to ensure players are proceeding correctly when taking relief. The Rules of Golf give no authority to allow for a
player to proceed directly to relief from an obstruction under Rule 24 should their ball enter a water hazard bordered by an obstruction.
Thus, a player looking to proceed under Rule 26 (Water Hazards) must first take relief from the lateral water hazard. This often involves dropping twice and then placing a ball on the cart path to comply with Rule 20-2c. Then relief from the cart path is obtained under Rule 24-1b (sometimes this will put the player back
on the hazard side of the cart path and force them to stand in the hazard to play the next shot). Once relief has been obtained from the cart path, interference may still be present from the fence. The player may again proceed under 24-1b. In some areas a player may have to drop 6 times and place 3 times, under a penalty of one stoke before they can continue play.
Note to those involved with golf course design – please maintain a generous margin between your hazard line and any artificial construction.
The results for the 24th Oregon Net Championship are below and show a hard fought competition that resulted in Co-Champions in the Women’s Field between Mary Kinnick, a 24 handicap from Heron Lakes Golf Club and Kendall Prince, a 4 handicap from Willamette Valley Country Club. Both women returned scores of 74-73=147
The men’s field was also a close contest that was won by Mihai Toma, a 14 handicap from Glendoveer Golf Club. Mihai shot 64-70=134 and was followed closely by Chad Sawyer, a 0 handicap from Eastmoreland Golf
Club, Bob Rommel, a 12 handicap from Meriwether National Golf Club, Lance Miyasato, a 6 handicap from Heron Lakes Golf Club, and Eric Quon, an 11 handicap from Stone Creek Golf Club. All four finished tied for second with a two day total of 135.
Complements go out to Brent Whittaker (above, checking a potential hole location during course set-up) for a fair and challenging course set-up and to Kelly Neely (OGA Director of Handicapping) for her year round work in helping the OGA’s Handicap Chairs maintain accurate and fair USGA Handicaps Indexes for all 55,000 OGA members. The wide variety of handicaps competing so closely together was exciting to see.
I received the following question from a OGA Handicap Chairman today:
“Is it possible that a yellow hazard line could be in play for one hole and have the same hazard line be red for another hole?”
This is a situation that may be present on your course and is often overlooked when a course drafts Local Rules. For example, I am playing the 14th hole at the OGA Golf Course and I hit a high slice to the right. When I find my ball I notice I have no shot and my ball is in the water hazard located on the 8th hole.
What are my options?
Rule 26-1a would not be be practicable as I would have to proceed back to the spot of my original stroke some 100+ yards back on #14. Rule 26-1b would also not be practicable as I would have to proceed to the tee side of the water hazard on the 8th hole and play a 150 yard shot back over the water hazard to the 14th green. Without a Local Rule in effect, if I cannot play my ball as it lies, I would have no other choices.
The best option here is to have a Local Rule that allows me relief under Rule 26-1c that reads:
“In playing the 14th hole, the water hazard on the 8th hole is deemed to be a lateral water hazard.”
The USGA clearly defines the Committee’s authority to make the following Local Rule in Decision
33-2a/7 Deeming Body of Water as Both Water Hazard and Lateral Water Hazard
A given part of a body of water must not be defined as both a water hazard and a lateral water hazard in play of a particular hole, except in the circumstances described in Decision 33-2a/6.
A given part of a body of water may be defined as a water hazard in play of one hole and a lateral water hazard in play of another hole.
A given part of a body of water may be defined as a water hazard and another part of the same body of water as a lateral water hazard.
Decision 33-2a/6 is referred to in this decision and reads as follows:
33-2a/6 Pond Is Water Hazard from Back Tee and Lateral Water Hazard from Forward Tee
Q. A pond on a par-3 hole meets the Definition of a lateral water hazard in play from the forward tee but not from the back tee. How should the Committee handle this situation?
A. The pond should be defined as a water hazard with yellow stakes or a yellow line, and there should be a Local Rule to the effect that the hazard is a lateral water hazard in play from the forward tee.
Not only can a water hazard be altered by Local Rule on a neighboring hole, but should the condition exist, and a Local Rule is in effect, a player may have different options depending on the tee they have played from.
