Rocky Bayou Country Club

Entry Form

Bunker Rakes Survey – Results

The Golf Committee has conducted a survey of the membership to help determine whether the bunker rakes should be kept in the bunkers or out of them.   The results were as follows:
A total of 56 surveys were completed.

A.  In the Bunker – 21

B.  Outside the Bunker – 33

C.  Other – 2

The Golf Committee has revisited the issue by taking the survey results, as well as the USGA  and other organizations’ recommendations into consideration and has decided that the bunker rakes will return to being placed outside of the bunkers as they had previously.  Please try to place them to the sides of the bunkers or in an area where they are least likely to be struck by a ball.

We found out some interesting things by going through this process.  The first is that our survey closely resembles other surveys done of course superintendents, golf professionals and golf industry professionals.  In other words, there is no clear consensus,  but about 55%-60%  prefer the rakes outside the bunkers.
The second is that most everyone agrees that from a visual standpoint the course looks prettier with the rakes in the bunkers, but from a golfing standpoint the rakes come into play more often when they are in the bunker.
The debate will no doubt continue, but for now the rakes at Rocky Bayou will be left outside the bunkers.

The USGA’s New Grooves Rules Simplified:

What has changed?

The USGA and R&A have modified the rules on the size and sharpness of the grooves on wedges, irons and clubs with lofts of 25 degrees or more.

They have reduced the allowable size and volume of the grooves, and have reduced the groove edge sharpness.

Why was this change made? The larger, sharper grooves made it easier for players (particularly expert players) to spin and control the ball out of the rough, which has made driving accuracy and the ability to keep the ball in the fairway less important.

How will it affect the average golfer?

Most golfers will not notice a difference in the grooves changes.  The changes that are in place now will not become permanent rules changes until 2024.  Club manufacturers will be allowed to produce and sell their remaining stock of clubs until the end of 2010, and golfers will be allowed to use them until 2024.

Timeline for groove rule changes:

January 1, 2010:  The new rule is in effect for PGA Tour events, Nationwide and Champions Tour events, Major Championships, the European Tour and other Major International Tours.

January 1, 2014:  The new rule will be in effect for most Professional Events and Expert Amateur events, as determined by the tournament committees.

January 1, 2024:  The new rule will go into effect as a permanent equipment specification in the rules of golf.

So, basically unless you are planning to play on tour or enter a top amateur event, you do not need to worry about the new grooves rule until 2024.

 The rules and procedures regarding water hazards (yellow stakes and/or lines) and lateral water hazards (red stakes and/or lines) seem to create confusion for many players.

If your ball lands in a Water Hazard (yellow), you have three options:

1. You can try to play it from the hazard, if possible.  Remember that you may not ground your club.
2. You can go back to the spot from where you hit the ball into the water, add a one stroke penalty, drop a ball on that spot and play from there.
3. You may drop a ball under penalty of one stroke, behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the ball last crossed the hazard line directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped.  You may go as far back on this line as you like as long you do not go out of bounds.

*Something to remember with this rule is that you do not drop a ball on the line of flight that the ball took to enter the water hazard. You drop on the line from the flagstick, through the spot where it crossed the hazard, and straight back from there.  The term “line of flight” does not exist in the rules of golf.

Water hazards, or sections of water hazards, may be marked with red stakes or lines because it would be impossible or impractical to drop behind the water hazard as in option #3 above.  These are called Lateral Water Hazards (Red).

If your ball lands in a lateral water hazard, you have the three water hazard options above, plus two additional options.  They are:

1. You may drop a ball within two club-lengths of where it last crossed the hazard line, not nearer the hole.
2. You may drop a ball within two club-lengths of a point on the opposite side of the lateral water hazard which is the same distance from the hole.  *(This option seldom comes into play, and is not used often, but it is available and could save you strokes if you know how to apply it.)

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General notes on water hazards:

1. They may be marked with stakes, lines or both.  Stakes identify a hazard and show the basic margins, and lines define the specific margins of the hazard.
2. If only stakes are used, the hazard is defined by the natural boundaries of the hazard, not necessarily the line between the two stakes. 
   1. For example, if your ball is clearly in a water hazard, but when you line up the stakes, it is outside the line, you are still in the water hazard.  Ideally, all water hazards would be lined all the time, but this is very time consuming and uses a lot of paint.
3. You may not ground your club when your ball lies in a water hazard.  If there is grass growing in the hazard, your club may touch the grass, but it is considered grounded if the grass is supporting the weight of the club.  If you ground your club in a hazard, add two strokes.
4. You may not remove any loose impediments (leaves, twigs, stones, etc.) from the hazard when your ball lies in a water hazard, but you may remove movable obstructions (i.e. a soda can, cigarette butt, plastic, etc.).  There is no relief from an immovable obstruction in a hazard (i.e. a bridge within a hazard).

Examples: 

Hole #5 from the men’s tees is marked with yellow stakes from the teeing ground area, and red stakes from the right side and far end of the hazard.  The land to the left of the hazard is out of bounds.

            If your tee ball crosses the red stakes on the right side or far side (as in goes across and then rolls back in), you may proceed under the lateral water hazard rule and drop within two club-lengths from where it crossed the line.

            If your tee ball does not cross the red stakes, you must proceed under the yellow water hazard rule and drop behind the hazard on the teeing area, or re-tee.

            A ball played from Hole #4 that crosses the red stakes on hole #5, may be dropped within two club-lengths of where it crossed the hazard line, no nearer the hole, under penalty of one stroke.

             The lake on Hole #14 is marked as a yellow water hazard (it changes to red as you get closer to hole # 10 on the right side), which means if you choose to take a drop, you must drop on the line from the flagstick back through where the ball crossed the hazard line, or from where you played the previous shot.  See #2 & #3 under the yellow water hazard rule above.

The hazard on the left side of #14 is marked Red for a Lateral Hazard.  You have the 3 water hazard options, plus the additional 2 options for a lateral hazard.  The option used most often is to drop within two club-lengths of where the ball last crossed the hazard line.

*Note that the wooden bridge on #14 is not marked to be within the red hazard, which makes it an immovable obstruction.  You would get a free drop if your ball is on or under the bridge, or if the bridge interferes with your stance or swing.  You would find your nearest point of relief from the bridge (that is not in the hazard) and drop a ball within one club-length of that spot.

I hope this clears up some confusion.  See me if you have any questions or comments.

We halved our match with Santa Rosa Beach January 28th.  It was really quite exciting with John Leatherwood coming through with a par, par, par, birdie finish that turned his match around and got us the tie.

Due to weather some dates and players have changed so I am listing our remaining 4 matches, and when they are to be played:

At Bluewater Bay, Monday, 1 Feb (make-up)
1st group:  Marv Mckinley & Stanley Bruce
2nd group:  Dan Breckenridge & Al Ward
3rd group:  John Leatherwood & Gary Wittkopp
4th group:  George Cilek & Bill Loll

Results for the match with Bluewater Bay: we got beat 16 – 8.  Two of our teams lost all 6 points but our opponents all netted under par in freezing cold weather.  Bluewater Bay guys played good golf in tough conditions and that is hard to beat on their course.

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At Santa Rosa Beach, Tuesday, 2 Feb (make-up and changed from 8 Feb)
1st group:  Bob Mather & Stanley Bruce
2nd group:  Al Ward & John Leatherwood
3rd group:  Gary Wittkopp & George Cilek
4th group:  John Stack & Bill Loll

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At Sunny Hills, Thursday, 4 Feb

1st group:  Bob Mather & Jimmy Hathaway
2nd group:  Marv McKinley & Dan Breckenridge
3rd group:  Bob Liphard & John Leatherwood
4th group:  Gary Wittkopp & George Cilek

Results from Sunny Hills:  Sorry, we lost 21-3

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Final Match at Bluewater Bay, Thursday,11 Feb

1st group:  Jimmy Hathaway & Marv McKinley
2nd group:  Dan Breckenridge & John Leatherwood
3rd group:  Gary Wittkopp & George Cilek
4th group:  John Stack & Bill Loll

Results for the match with Bluewater Bay: John Stack and Bill Loll won all 6 of their points to bring us from behind to win against Bluewater Bay 13 – 11.  AND, even though it looked like we did poorly this year (which we did), one more win and, I think, we would have won the whole thing.  Anyway, thanks to all of you for participating, even though we had no break with the weather this year.

Just wait till next year.  Thanks, Marv