Does all 'water' have to be designated as a water hazard?

[Bulls9999]

OK, let me explain my thinking.

I conjured up this idea of a great finishing 18th hole (ok, great to me...you may not like it) whereby, take the 18th green at the TPC Player's. The green is surrounded on 80% of its periphery by low lying pool of beach sand covered with ~1-inch of water (hey, with today's technology, they can put in a plastic lined 'pool', fill it with sand, and put some system to level the water off at ~1-inch so the ball's top is still sticking out of the water, maybe).

Now you get the idea....go for the green and miss it? Heck, it's the 18th...you're done afterwards.... so you can take shoes/socks off, wade out in the shallow clear water pool, pitch your ball back up on the green, maybe. Then don't bother to put your socks on, you can putt out in bare feet.

I love this idea.

I guess....does it end up being a "water hazard"?...where I guess you can take a drop if you don't like the idea of getting your feet wet?

[Leaguegolf]

Sounds like something they'd do on the Golf Channel's Big Break series, not on the PGA Tour.

[Bulls9999]

Ah, where's your imagination....maybe near Orlando it would fit right in.

Originally Posted by Leaguegolf

Sounds like something they'd do on the Golf Channel's Big Break series, not on the PGA Tour.

[Fourputt]

It's still a water hazard. You can't ground your club or test the surface or move a loose impediment.

[Ty_Webb]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

It's still a water hazard. You can't ground your club or test the surface or move a loose impediment.

If it's not marked as a water hazard, doesn't that make it casual water?

[atticusfinch]

Originally Posted by Ty_Webb

If it's not marked as a water hazard, doesn't that make it casual water?

no. if it meets the definiton of water hazard it is a water hazard whether marked or not.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Ty_Webb

If it's not marked as a water hazard, doesn't that make it casual water?

By definition, casual water is temporary:

"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.

Any permanent watercourse or body of water on the course is a water hazard, even if it only contains water periodically. Of course, a man made fountain would be an obstruction.

This is one reason why proper course marking is essential to eliminate confusion. Take a situation after a storm where there is a stream of casual water flowing across the fairway between 2 ponds. On a properly marked course, there would be no doubt as to where the margins of the water hazards are and it would be easy to tell if your ball is in a hazard or in casual water. On a poorly marked course there can be a lot of room for interpretation (Where does the natural margin of the hazard end and through the green begin?), thus more opportunities to take the wrong procedure and risk being penalized.

I'm fortunate in that our course is always well marked, as one of our rules committeemen is also a rules official with Colorado Golf Association. He marks courses for such events as US Open qualifiers and the Colorado Open, and he keeps our course properly marked all year long for Men's Club, school and other junior tournaments, and all of the various leagues that play there. On our course you don't have the privilege of loosely interpreting hazard margins or GUR. You are either in it or you aren't.

[CristieKerr]

I'd pay money to see that.

It's a great idea for the Big Break, and although I think it'd be interesting in a real tournament, it just ain't going to happen.

[Wazmankg]

Originally Posted by CristieKerr

I'd pay money to see that.

It's a great idea for the Big Break, and although I think it'd be interesting in a real tournament, it just ain't going to happen.

I agree.. this is more something for BB. It's either casual water or a water hazard barring a rule change. The players would hate it. I think most would just take their drop and try to knock the next one stiff.