Casual Water

This week we shall look at a problem we have a lot in the wet season.. The storms and rain we have can play havoc with the course and leave a lot of Casual Water lying around. So what is Casual Water.

The definition of casual water in the rule book is - "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. Dew & frost are not casual water. So if the Casual Water affects your stance or the lie of the ball you are entitled to free relief.

A puddle on the golf course is easy to spot and an obvious case of casual water. But even if you can't see the water when you get to your ball, it doesn't necessarily mean you can't claim relief. Sometimes it is the player just standing to the ball the brings water to the surface, that's all you need to be able to claim relief, but remember you have to be able to see water when you take your normal stance, jumping up & down on the spot won't work. Soft, damp very spongy ground is not Casual Water.

Fig 1, clearly shows a ball in casual water on the  fairway. The relief procedure is the same as the immovable obstructions a few weeks ago. You lift and drop the ball, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green.

Fig 2 shows the same problem, but this time your ball is in the trees. So where do you drop now. First thing you notice is that if the water was not there, you would have a bit of a shot low under the tree. But now after you take your drop in the shaded area you are behind the trees with little or no shot. So what are your options if you don't want to drop behind the trees without penalty? Ok, you can play the ball from where it lies, but your wife would probably not be too happy with you when you get home with mud all over your clothes, but unfortunately this is the only other option you have without a penalty if you don't want to drop behind the trees.

 Your other option for Fig 2 is you can deem your ball unplayable.

With the Unplayable Ball Rule option under a penalty of one stroke you can:

1.      Play the ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (See Rule 20-5 of your rule book, page 91) or

2.      Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped. Or

3.      Drop a ball within two club lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.   

So from this experience you learn that life just isn't fair at times, but you only get relief from the Casual Water. If that puts you in a worse position for your next shot that's just bad luck.

Life can get much worse if you encounter Casual Water in a bunker. A waterlogged bunker is one of the least "fair" situations you'll ever encounter. It's not so disastrous if some of the sand is still showing as in Fig 3, although dropping a ball in a bunker inevitably results in a semi-buried lie. So lets look at Fig 3 and see what options you do have.

So the ball comes to rest in the casual water in the bunker. You are entitled to drop the ball either:

Without penalty, in accordance with clause 25-1b(i), except that the nearest point of relief (X) must be in the bunker and the ball must be dropped in the bunker. For this exercise the shaded area shows where you can drop the ball; or

Under penalty of one stroke, outside the bunker keeping the point where the ball lay directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped. For this exercise, this is shown as a red dotted line.

The real trouble starts when your ball comes to rest in a bunker completely full of water. Again you have two options, neither of which is the least bit appealing. You are entitled to drop the ball either:

Without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole, in a part of the bunker that affords maximum available relief from the condition. That means you find the shallowest area of water within your legal drop zone in which to drop the ball; or

Under penalty of one stroke, outside the bunker keeping the point where the ball lay directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped.

What about Casual Water on the Green?

Well this brings with it slightly different rules. Previously we've said that casual water must affect your stance or the lie of the ball. Well, on the putting surface it's a different story, and rightly so given the circumstances. Obviously the ruling that you can claim relief if the water is around your ball or your stance still stands. However, the rules also allow you to claim relief if the line of your putt is affected by the casual water.

Fig 4 show the 18th green with a puddle of water on it. Let's say your ball has come to rest in position "A". So what is the ruling?

The rule states that if a players ball lies on the putting green and the line of his/her putt is affected by Casual Water, the player must lift the ball and place it, without penalty, at the nearest point of relief that is not in a hazard. The nearest point of relief may be off the putting green. For the exercise in Fig 4, position "B" is where you would place the ball.

What about Casual Water on the Green when your ball lies off the green?

Fig 5 shows the same green with the same puddle of water, but this time your ball has run just off the green (Position "A") and the water lies between your ball and the hole, do you get relief.

NO! If your ball is not on the putting green there is no relief, you must chip over the water to the hole.