Rumors are swirling around the clubhouse that John Bugh and Jim Neinhaus are contemplating some sort of legal action against a ruling by the Head of Golf Operations @ CCSA. The ruling was made on the 18th hole of Lewis & Clark during the Inaugural CCSA 2-Man Team Challege on October 18, 2009.
The word is that the 2-man team was not given a free drop for a ball that was reportedly errantly hit left of the cart path and short of the creek on #18. The team strongly believed that they should have been given free relief from a "drainage ditch" that was not "part of course design". See the scene recreation below:
From this angle, it seems clear that the team should have received relief from this "ditch". But after having received the following picture (allegedly from the legal counsel of the head pro), this editorial staff has fallen on the side of the ruling, as it is clear that the ball was resting within a lateral hazard (see fainted line on picture below).
There are those who say that the ruling cost the team sole posession of 2nd place and thus some serious coin. In retrospect, the right call was made on the spot, we firmly believe.
Above: Ball is clearly within the bounds of a lateral hazard - even though the line is faint from all of the recent rain.
From the USGA:
"Lateral Water Hazard"
A "lateral water hazard" is a water hazard or that part of a water hazard so situated that it is not possible, or is deemed by the Committee to be impracticable, to drop a ball behind the water hazard in accordance with Rule 26-1b. All ground and water within the margin of a lateral water hazard are part of the lateral water hazard.
When the margin of a lateral water hazard is defined by stakes, the stakes are inside the lateral water hazard, and the margin of the hazard is defined by the nearest outside points of the stakes at ground level. When both stakes and lines are used to indicate a lateral water hazard, the stakes identify the hazard and the lines define the hazardmargin. When the margin of a lateral water hazard is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is in the lateral water hazard. The margin of a lateral water hazard extends vertically upwards and downwards.
- Raj B
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