Monday, July 27, 2015

Ask Linda #1113-GUR near green

Hi Linda,
At our golf club bare patches at the side of some of our greens are marked as GUR. The problem is that the nearest point of relief is quite often behind the marked area. As this is close to the green, I usually putt from that position, but I now have to putt through this GUR area, which seems to me to make the marking of the area rather pointless. Is this the correct interpretation of the GUR rule, or would it be reasonable to drop the ball out of the GUR such that I would not have to putt through the GUR marked area? Also, sometimes having to drop behind the GUR marked area means dropping the ball in longer grass.
Thank you in advance.
Lou from South Africa

Dear Lou,

Relief from GUR must be within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief [Rule 25-1b]. If the nearest relief is in longer grass behind the GUR, that is where you must drop. You do not get to choose where to drop the ball.

The only time you are entitled to relief on the line of putt is when your ball is on the green [Rule 25-1a].

Don’t forget to assess your relief option before you lift your ball. If might be preferable to chip or putt the ball from the GUR rather than take it out and drop it in long grass.

Linda
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