[Howard Riefs]

Good news for Dustin Johnson.

The PGA released a special notice Tuesday to inform players that all bunkering at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course will be considered “sandy areas” and will be played “through the green.” For all practical purposes, the sandy areas, even when they look like traditional bunkers, will be played like waste areas, where players will be allowed to ground their club, remove loose impediments and even take practice swings. In essence, the PGA is declaring that there will be no bunkers at the Ocean Course.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golftalkcentral/all-bunkers-to-play-as-waste-areas-at-pga-championship/

“It’s the same conditions we played the Ocean Course during the 1991 Ryder Cup, the 2005 PGA Professional Championship, the 2007 Senior PGA and it’s the same conditions played daily at the resort,” Haigh said.

Updated: Added above paragraph. Course currently plays as "through the green" as Jim referenced below.

[Jim Nelson]

When I played there a few years ago, that was how the course was setup. I believe that is always the case now.  The sand in the bunkers is very different.  I took a 60 degree club with little bounce which seemed to work well when skimming the ball out. 

[David_Tepper]

Well, that will save them a lot of money on bunker rakes!

[Tom_Doak]

So does that mean that they aren't going to be raked like bunkers during the course of play?

[paul cowley]

A great call...finally.

All bunkers should be played the same with raking only for maintenance.

[Matthew Petersen]

So does that mean that they aren't going to be raked like bunkers during the course of play?

I wonder the same thing.

I expect there would be far more moaning about a guy finding his ball in a sandy footprint on the 72nd hole than what happened to Dustin Johnson a couple years back.

[jeffwarne]

So does that mean that they aren't going to be raked like bunkers during the course of play?

So just to be clear, we rake "hazards" and conditions are perfect for easy recovery  on weekly basis on tour(well other than Lytham...),
but since they're not hazards, they won't be raked, making recovery more dicey.
seems backwards but,,,,,,
I'm OK with 1/2 of that.....

[jeffwarne]

Good news for Dustin Johnson.

The PGA released a special notice Tuesday to inform players that all bunkering at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course will be considered “sandy areas” and will be played “through the green.” For all practical purposes, the sandy areas, even when they look like traditional bunkers, will be played like waste areas, where players will be allowed to ground their club, remove loose impediments and even take practice swings. In essence, the PGA is declaring that there will be no bunkers at the Ocean Course.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golftalkcentral/all-bunkers-to-play-as-waste-areas-at-pga-championship/

“It’s the same conditions we played the Ocean Course during the 1991 Ryder Cup, the 2005 PGA Professional Championship, the 2007 Senior PGA and it’s the same conditions played daily at the resort,” Haigh said.

Updated: Added above paragraph. Course currently plays as "through the green" as Jim referenced below.

won't help Dustin, he stated he never reads local rules sheets

[mike_beene]

I wonder if most at least green side will still not ground the club just because they haven't for years

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

This paragraph was also in the press release:

All sandy areas inside the gallery rope line will be raked each morning prior to play. During play, as strokes or practice swings are made, or players and others walk through such areas, footprints and other irregularities of surface may develop. Rakes will be available so that these areas may be smoothed as a courtesy to following players. However, these irregularities of surface - when not smoothed - are a part of the game and no relief, without penalty, will be provided.

[John Kirk]

I respect those who applaud the decision, but to me this is just plain weird.

[Wade Whitehead]

So the first group out each morning will have raked bunkers but the last group may (depending on whether or not other players elect to rake)?

If rakes are available, caddies will use them.  No one is going to play a shot then leave a divot and footprints (if a rake is nearby).

The likely outcome will be that players can ground their club AND they'll have good lies.  This makes the bunkers less of a hazard, not more.

Makes no sense to me.

WW

[Pete_Pittock]

not only can they ground the club, they can move loose impediments, de-rock. And the PGA better add extra phone lines for all the couch potatoe/armchair rules experts calling in at every opportunity.

[mike_beene]

Are the spectators basically standing in sand?Will balls hit into spectator areas get footprint lies? What kind of crowds will they get in and can the course handle large crowds?

[Jason Topp]

Remember Stuart Cink removing sand so he basically wound up with a teed up ball at Habortown on the 16th?  I now would do the same in the pga. I think it will have the opposite effect some on here assume.  

[Bryan Izatt]

A lot of the waste areas adjoining fairways and greens are hard packed sand that won't require much raking, if any.  Last time I was there they were often used for cart traffic and even that didn't really disturb the surface.  And, you didn't really make much of an impression walking on them.  I would imagine in these areas there wouldn't be rakes - just brush over any marks with your feet after playing.



There are, of course, more traditional bunkers with softer sand, often laced with shells.  I would imagine there will be rakes at these and that players and their caddies will rake up after themselves as they always do.  I'd be surprised if anybody got a bad lie in these bunkers.



Playing them all as waste areas will have the benefit of simplifying any rulings on grounding the club and I doubt provides anyone with a competitive advantage.  The variability of sand consistency and texture between bunkers and between bunkers and waste areas should provide some small increase in the "hazardness" of the sandy areas.

Now, if somebody hits it way off line and gets into the more natural areas where the gallery has been walking, then there could be some really squirrelly lies.

[Tom Culley]

Does this make Kiawah the first bunkerless course to hold a professional event?

[Rich Goodale]

As long as they adhere to the established standards regarding replacing "divots," repairing "ball marks" and otherwise restoring the course to as you found it, this should be no problem.

[Brad Isaacs]

A lot of the waste areas adjoining fairways and greens are hard packed sand that won't require much raking, if any.  Last time I was there they were often used for cart traffic and even that didn't really disturb the surface.  And, you didn't really make much of an impression walking on them.  I would imagine in these areas there wouldn't be rakes - just brush over any marks with your feet after playing.



There are, of course, more traditional bunkers with softer sand, often laced with shells.  I would imagine there will be rakes at these and that players and their caddies will rake up after themselves as they always do.  I'd be surprised if anybody got a bad lie in these bunkers.

Brian,

Thanks for the picture. I was trying to understand what the fuss was about. The waste areas are hard pan. A rake would only make it worse. The heat/humidity is what will keep me away.



Playing them all as waste areas will have the benefit of simplifying any rulings on grounding the club and I doubt provides anyone with a competitive advantage.  The variability of sand consistency and texture between bunkers and between bunkers and waste areas should provide some small increase in the "hazardness" of the sandy areas.

Now, if somebody hits it way off line and gets into the more natural areas where the gallery has been walking, then there could be some really squirrelly lies.

[Howard Riefs]

A lot of the waste areas adjoining fairways and greens are hard packed sand that won't require much raking, if any.  Last time I was there they were often used for cart traffic and even that didn't really disturb the surface.  And, you didn't really make much of an impression walking on them.  I would imagine in these areas there wouldn't be rakes - just brush over any marks with your feet after playing.

16th hole? I had a similar view from the left side of the fairway.

[Bryan Izatt]

Howard,

Yes, that's the 16th.  There are similar hard packed sand areas throughout the rest of the course.  The par 3 fifth comes to mind where the hard pack angles across the front of the green.  I don't imagine that the hard pack areas will be much of a problem for the pros.

[Howard Riefs]

Howard,

Yes, that's the 16th.  There are similar hard packed sand areas throughout the rest of the course.  The par 3 fifth comes to mind where the hard pack angles across the front of the green.  I don't imagine that the hard pack areas will be much of a problem for the pros.

Thanks for confirming.

Interestlingly, Dye designed similar hard packed sand areas at TPC Sawgrass on holes #4 and #5. They even serve as the cart path on those holes.  However, I don't believe they play as "through the green" during The Players.

http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r011/course/tour/course/p-yardagebook.html

[Bryan Izatt]

Dye also took the same approach on his course at PGA Village - St. Lucie although I think those waste areas were crushed coquina shells.

[Jason Topp]

Remember Stuart Cink removing sand so he basically wound up with a teed up ball at Habortown on the 16th?  I now would do the same in the pga. I think it will have the opposite effect some on here assume.  

I did some more research on this and it looks like the USGA has addressed this issue and prevented a repeat.  From this website:

http://flagstick.com/rulebook_archives_mainpage.htm


"Stewart Cink’s Waste Area

Another amendment in this year’s Decisions book came from a high profile incident on the PGA Tour.  During the fifth playoff hole, at the 2004 MCI Heritage Championship at Harbour Town, Stewart Cink hit his drive into a waste area bordering the 16th fairway.  After conferring with the PGA Rules Official, Slugger White, Cink began removing what looked to be sand from behind the ball.  In fact, what Cink had removed were finely crushed seashells - loose impediments.  Cink then proceeded to hit a 7-iron to within eight feet of the hole, made birdie and defeated challenger, Ted Purdy.

 

Cink’s actions and/or the PGA’s lack of action drew heavy criticism from golfers worldwide.  As a result, Decision 33-8/40 was born.  The Decision authorizes a Committee to deem material other than sand (e.g. finely crushed shells) to have the same status as sand or loose soil.  Therefore, immovable anywhere except on a putting green.  Change is good! "

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