Rules question - landscape beds Cancel The title field is required!

1. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   11/21/2011 10:11 AM

   Quick question on how landscape beds figure into the rules and maybe what everyone else does in these situations.
   
   We have maiden grass plants in little beds that are mulched and have other plants in the beds with them. They were installed back before I got here to kind of define a fairway and are not off the fairway by much. My thought is, if they are defined as landscape beds, golfers would receive a drop from them, what about lost balls? Balls do get lost in the maiden grasses, so do they have to go re-tee or drop because it's in a landscape bed that they physically saw the ball enter?
   
   We also have a couple of other beds that attract golf balls as well, but the lost ball in those beds might not be as concrete, meaning they saw the ball go in that direction but is it really in that bed?
   
   I am trying to make a case to remove these problem beds, and the answers on rules would be another supporting reason to remove these beds. And while I think I know my rules fairly well, I want to make sure I am factual in my report.
   
   Thanks! Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
2. Clay Putnam

   

   33 posts
   
   11/21/2011 10:11 AM

   Mel,
   
   I am not a rules aficionado but I think your landscape beds would qualify as a fixed/natural object, similar to a tree. As such any ball coming to rest within the landscape would have to be played as it lies. Any ball lost within the fixed object would be declared lost and the player must re-tee.
   
   Just my interpretation. You may want to consult your pro or area USGA rep.

   
   
   
   
3. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   11/21/2011 11:11 AM

   Thanks Clay,
   
   I was on the USGA site and looks like I will e-mail the question to them. I do know is some cases landscape beds were treated as Ground under repairs so golfers wouldn't be hacking all the tulips and such to extract their golf ball. Maybe it's listed as a local rule?
   
   But as you stated if it gets treated as a fixed natural object such as a tree, then the golfer by rule should play the ball lost in the maiden grass as a lost ball, stroke and distance if I remember correctly? To me that would be more then enough ammunition to remove the plants? (hey Wallace, is it ok to kill them? The plants that is)
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO