I have many readers playing golf in Florida, and I will use the next weeks to explain a few situations seen on golf courses.
Most of the Florida golf courses have adopted the Florida State Golf Association annual local rules.
Here are the topics:
A) Ball at rest near an alligator, a snake or fire ants
a. Ball in play near a dog and I am afraid of dogs.
b. I must take my stance with my head in a spider web full of dead flies.
c. I don’t want to search for my ball in the woods because I think I saw snakes.
d. Small lizards are running around my ball.
B) Ball lying in sand or shells (not in a bunker).
C) Cart path made out of shells.
D) Drains or sprinkler heads near a green.
E) How to determine if a ball is out of Bound (White stakes).
F) Ball fall in a penalty area after hitting something out of bounds.
G) Margins of the penalty areas.
H) Edging grooves near the green.
I) Artificial walls and piling in bunkers.
Next week, we will discuss the different relief procedures.
I also have two questions for next week:
Question 1: My ball lies in a penalty area near an alligator, but the ball is in a playable position. What are my options?
a. The only option is to drop a ball outside the penalty area with a penalty of one stroke
b. The only way to play the ball as it lies is to make enough noise to scare away the alligator
c. If I can pick up the ball without being eaten, I may drop it elsewhere without penalty, but I must stay in the penalty area
d. I may drop another ball elsewhere in the penalty area without penalty
Question 2: My ball lies in the palm trees in a playable position. In taking my stance my body will touch a poisonous plant (Florida Poisontree). What are my options to get relief from that dangerous condition?
If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to write to me at edouard.rivard@videotron.ca