OB or not?

[ATL96Steeler]

Small wager on this round.

Par 4...left side of the hole has a mesh net (roughly 15' tall x 30' long) that ends at about the 150 yd marker to protect players on the driving range. The mesh is very fine...no way a ball should be able to get through it.

Drive...hits this netting and it appears to drop straight down...it is an OB barrier/fence. So provisional ball was put into the FW. Once we reach the initial tee shot, the ball went the through a big tear in the netting and was sitting completely OB by a few inches.

Now...one of the club members we were playing with said the initial ball should be in play because if the netting was functioning as intended, the ball would not be OB. He said drop and play the 2nd shot.

My playing competitor said I was OB and needed to play the provisional...I played the provisional. After the round I asked the head pro...he echoed what the member said...if the netting was functioning as it should the ball the only way you can go OB in that area is to go over the netting...if you hit into the netting the ball should rebound back into play.

The point is mute now because I played the provisional, but the playing competitior said I had no option...my initial ball was OB.

Your thoughts?

 

[Tharvot]

I'd take the course pro's word on this. Sounds like a similar rule to what baseball teams have to deal with when they go to stadiums with funky ground rules (IE Tampa).

 

[HizzleRocker]

I haven't looked at the Rules Book in a while, but isn't it illegal to have OB on the interior of the course?

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I'd take the course pro's word on this. Sounds like a similar rule to what baseball teams have to deal with when they go to stadiums with funky ground rules (IE Tampa).

Obviously I agreed with the member since he plays there all the time, but my playing partner was unsure (he thought the member was playing it fast and loose). We didn't get the head pro's ruling until after the round.

I can see why they have it set up like that because the hitting station is only 15 feet or so from the fairway and right in the 150 yd landing zone...the pro said nearly every group, everyday would have a ball OB on that hole without the netting. I assume money is the reason but fixing the netting would take of the problem. I had never encountered an OB barrier with a big hole in it before.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I haven't looked at the Rules Book in a while, but isn't it illegal to have OB on the interior of the course?

Idk, that sounds right, but I've seen OB in some funky places on a few courses...one such...9th hole @ Gwinnett CC...the 1st hole is to the left of the FW on the 9th hole. If you blow your tee ball well left you're on the FW of #1... about a yr ago I started seeing OB stakes along the left side of #9. More than one person apparently got caught in some friendly fire on those two holes. Not sure they were USGA legal in that decision to make left of #9 FW OB.

On the hole I played...the left of this hole is the driving range...marking it OB I think is appropriate for safety if nothing else....the funky part is the netting, which only covers a small area...enough to protect the people hitting on the range closest to the FW.

 

[TobyTyler]

Small wager on this round.

Par 4...left side of the hole has a mesh net (roughly 15' tall x 30' long) that ends at about the 150 yd marker to protect players on the driving range. The mesh is very fine...no way a ball should be able to get through it.

Drive...hits this netting and it appears to drop straight down...it is an OB barrier/fence. So provisional ball was put into the FW. Once we reach the initial tee shot, the ball went the through a big tear in the netting and was sitting completely OB by a few inches.

Now...one of the club members we were playing with said the initial ball should be in play because if the netting was functioning as intended, the ball would not be OB. He said drop and play the 2nd shot.

My playing competitor said I was OB and needed to play the provisional...I played the provisional. After the round I asked the head pro...he echoed what the member said...if the netting was functioning as it should the ball the only way you can go OB in that area is to go over the netting...if you hit into the netting the ball should rebound back into play.

The point is mute now because I played the provisional, but the playing competitior said I had no option...my initial ball was OB.

Your thoughts?

My guess is it would be a local rule for that course only and if the pro told you it is in bounds because of the malfunctioning net then that should be the ruling.

 

[TobyTyler]

I haven't looked at the Rules Book in a while, but isn't it illegal to have OB on the interior of the course?

No. Its unusual but definitely not illegal.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

My guess is it would be a local rule for that course only and if the pro told you it is in bounds because of the malfunctioning net then that should be the ruling.

This netting has been in need of replacing or repair for a while I gather because the member immediately said just drop inbound and play without penalty...but this rule was not posted on the card.

The pro's point exactly...the netting is not there to keep you from going OB...it's there to protect people on the range near this hole...if the netting was not in need of repair and your ball was on the OB side (however it got there) of the netting...OB applies.

I should've played it as the member suggested, but he wasn't in this little wager we had going.

 

[HawkeyesRuleURFace]

I lipped out a putt that should have went in, the hole didn't function properly...I gave myself a birdie

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I lipped out a putt that should have went in, the hole didn't function properly...I gave myself a birdie

Hold on now...did you consult with the head pro first? LOL...seriously...you had to see this one.