Bunkers - Rule 16.1

After periods of heavy rain some bunkers may be damaged or affected by Temporary Water. There are a couple of situations where free relief may be taken under Rule 16.1

Bunker Damage

Our Local Rules allow for relief from areas in a bunker where sand has been washed away and created furrows with free relief under Rule 16.1a as an abnormal course condition except that:

• The nearest point of complete relief and the relief area must be in the bunker.

• If there is no such nearest point of complete relief in the bunker, the player may still take this relief by using the point of maximum available relief in the bunker as the reference point.

The player may clean their ball before dropping it.

The area for free relief is taken from the Reference Point (The nearest point of complete relief) and is measured as one club length (you can use your driver) from the Reference Point but must not be nearer the hole and is still in the general area.

When taking relief, the player must take complete relief from all interference by the abnormal course condition. Their ball or stance must not be in the abnormal course condition.

Temporary Water in a Bunker

If a player's ball is in a bunker and there is interference by Temporary Water then a player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b except that:

• The nearest point of complete relief and the relief area must be in the bunker.

• If there is no such nearest point of complete relief in the bunker, the player may still take this relief by using the point of maximum available relief in the bunker as the reference point.

The player may clean their ball before dropping it.

The area for free relief is taken from the Reference Point (The nearest point of complete relief) and is measured as one club length (you can use your driver) from the Reference Point but must not be nearer the hole and is still in the general area.

When taking relief, the player must take complete relief from all interference by the abnormal course condition. Their ball or stance must not be in the abnormal course condition.

Bunker Flooded by Temporary Water

If a bunker is completely flooded by Temporary Water it will be marked by the Greenkeeping Team as Ground Under Repair under Rule 16.1b. Players may take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in a relief area. The player may clean their ball before dropping it.

The area for free relief is taken from the Reference Point (The nearest point of complete relief) and is measured as one club length (you can use your driver) from the Reference Point but must not be nearer the hole and is still in the general area.

When taking relief, the player must take complete relief from all interference by the abnormal course condition. Their ball or stance must not be in the abnormal course condition.

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