99th Oregon Amateur, Day 1

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During set-up for the Oregon Amateur at Bend Golf & Country Club, we were asked by the course to mark a “Beautification Zone” just left of the #15 green as an area of mandatory relief, similar to what would normally be marked as an Environmentally- Sensitive Area. The area in question contains wildflowers, thick brush, large rocks, tall grass and is not dramatically different from the lie a player is left with anywhere else on the course if their shot strays a few yards off line (only 4 scores under par during the first round of stroke play qualifying testifies to the difficulty of the venue). It was easy to see that many balls coming to rest the area would be unplayable or at best leave a very difficult up and down for par.

While we were looking over the area earlier in the week, a group of contestants playing a practice round were talking about the area as a great option should they be facing a difficult shot into the green. The area is large enough to aim for from at a great distance and provided a “bail out” which, under the course Local Rule, allowed a free drop to the closest dropping zone. The dropping zone then provided an easy pitch up to the green where a player would be given an opportunity for par.

Under Appendix I, in the The Rules of Golf, Part B lists Specimen Local Rules that are intended to be temporary in nature.

2. Areas of the Course Requiring Preservation; Environmentally-Sensitive Areas

a. Ground Under Repair (GUR); Play Prohibited

If the Committee wishes to protect any area of the course, it should declare it to be ground under repair and prohibit play from within that area. The following Local Rule is recommended:

“The ________________(defined by_____) is ground under repair from which play is prohibited. If a player’s ball lies in the area, or if it interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 25-1.

Penalty for Breach of Local Rule:

Match Play – Loss of Hole; Stroke Play – Two Strokes

The difficulty for us was how to properly mark the area and still keep play equitable for golfers that hit into the condition (or intentionally hit into it from a difficult lie) compared to those that played better shots just off the green or onto the putting surface. Were we to adopt the Local Rule as written above, we would be allowing players to take relief under Rule 25-1b or c at the nearest point of relief. This option would provide a tremendous break to the player, would likely save them a stroke to par and, in my view, is a significant advantage as it provides too generous of relief. Decision 25-1b/3 discussed this very thing:

Improving Line of Play When Taking Relief from Abnormal Ground Conditions

Q. In certain circumstances, in complying with Rule 25-1b, it is possible for a player incidentally to improve his line of play, e.g., avoiding playing over a bunker or a tree. Is this permissible?

A. Yes. If a player’s ball is in one of the conditions covered by Rule 25 and if, in taking relief in accordance with the procedure laid down in Rule 25-1b, his line of play is improved, this is his good fortune.

Though this decision makes it clear that 25-1 can provide the player good fortune during relief, the decision does begin with the phrase, in certain circumstances. These words were discussed at length by the Committee as well as the following Appendix I entry:

8. Dropping Zones

If the Committee considers that it is not feasible or practicable to proceed in accordance with a Rule providing relief, it may establish Dropping Zones in which balls may or must be dropped when taking relief. Generally, such Dropping Zones should be provided as an additional relief option to those available under the Rule itself, rather than being mandatory.

The key words from this guidance are underlined. We felt this was a circumstance where to keep play equitable for all contestants the Rule of Golf allowed the Committee to require a player to take free relief to a dropping zone located behind the green in an area we felt was equitable to the situation. The player was not allowed to proceed to the nearest point of relief. A player who encounters interference from the GUR, marked with a white line, would proceed to the dropping zone and still be left with a difficult up and down for par. Those of you that watched the US Open Sunday may recall David Fay, Executive Director of the USGA, discussing a similar option that the USGA now uses for relief from many temporarily immovable obstructions (grandstands, concession tents, and TV towers) put up during play of a USGA Championship.

The Committee came to a condenses on the following Local Rule that will be in effect for the remainder of the 99th Oregon Amateur Championship:

Dropping Zone – The OGA has established one dropping zone behind the #15 green. The white lined area to the left of #15 green is deemed to be ground under repair from which play is prohibited. If a player’s ball lies in, or if it interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the player must take relief, under no penalty, in the dropping zone located behind #15 green. In addition, if the ball is not found and it is know or virtually certain to be in the GUR the player must proceed under no penalty to the dropping zone. The player may not take relief under Rule 25-1b or 25-1c.

Penalty for breach of local rule: Match Play – Loss of Hole; Stroke Play – Two Strokes