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Yesterday during the final round of coverage we saw DJ hit a ball OB. This of course leads to a different penalty than that of the water hazard. One ball was playable, one was not.

There was a social media firestorm with tweets such as this and many others like it.



Now clearly this tweet forgets that sometimes OB is set in place, because it means no longer on the property of the golf course. Retrieving one’s ball might not be applicable in these instances.

Yet that still brings many questions regarding the rules. Should they be changed? Sound off below

Continue reading...
 
The rule needs to change. Makes no sense a ball that can be identified and played can’t be bc of an arbitrary line. I can understand if it’s in a backyard, in the woods, etc., but I’d you can see if and put a stroke on it, it should be playable.
 
The rule should stay. OB us usually an off property line or, in some cases, necessary for safety concerns. Bottom line, courses have boundaries and they should be (are) enforced with OB lines.
 
I get the penalty but I don't understand why it is 2 strokes vs 1.
The 2 stroke penalty is for stroke and distance, it's 1 stroke penalty if you re-hit from the original spot.

Just like the lost ball penalty.
 
It needs to be adjusted. While his ball was considered OB by the line, it was playable in that instance and not in any danger. There was plenty of room between the ball and the gravel of the RR tracks. They could have just used the gravel of the RR tracks as the out of bounds line and said anything resting on gravel will be deemed OB.
 
I definitely hate seeing white stakes in Larry’s backyard. I should be able to hit my ball on his brand new sodded grass and take a chunk out of it. I’d just fill the divot with the piece of sod I chucked out.

You chose to live in a golf course! Accept the consequences!
 
The 2 stroke penalty is for stroke and distance, it's 1 stroke penalty if you re-hit from the original spot.

Just like the lost ball penalty.

Right, but the ball isn't lost a lot of the time, so why not allow it to be dropped at the point it crossed the line just as one would do if it is hit in the water or other hazard. It just seems like too steep of penalty in my opinion.
 
I think the OB rule should be changed too.
 
I really like the OB rule on tour. Makes those boys a bit more nervous, doesn't negatively impact me at all while watching at home.

There is a local rule that can be applied using the USGA rules that allows for a drop rather than a re-tee that I don't mind being implemented - We have it in place at my course. But, two strokes is what it should cost, for sure. OB is OB.
 
Play it like a lateral hazard.
 
So agree with everyone, but playing devils advocate, the ball came near train tracks so could this not be a safety issue?
 
It needs to be adjusted. While his ball was considered OB by the line, it was playable in that instance and not in any danger. There was plenty of room between the ball and the gravel of the RR tracks. They could have just used the gravel of the RR tracks as the out of bounds line and said anything resting on gravel will be deemed OB.
I would bet the railroad's right of way extends all the way to the out of bounds line, and even though a ball could be playable, it definitely should not be played from their right of way. Not just for safety, but for equity. The ability to play the shot if it was past the stakes shouldn't be dependent on a train not rolling by when you're playing.
 
I think you have to keep it around...most people (outside of Haig Point!) don't want you playing from their backyard.

I think OOB should be split into two categories though - "Dangerous OOB" (houses, roads, people, etc.) should be stroke and distance, while "Non-dangerous OOB" (undeveloped property, railroad tracks, etc.), should be played as a hazard, with the added exception that you cannot play your ball under any circumstances. I think the stroke and distance helps protect property - if you have a lake right, and OOB with houses left, you're still better off missing right.
 
I am sure i don't need to repeat my stance on this topic. :giggle:
 
other than "that's just the rule" I've yet to hear a valid reason that water is played differently than ob. to me it's asinine that we have yellow, white and red stakes. what is the rational for this? just change the rule so every ball in a hazard is played the exact same way, and structure it in a way to maintain a reasonable pace of play. I say everything should be played like a red take, but remove the ability to hit it if you can find it. drop on the line it entered the hazard. done.
 
If I ran a golf course I would have a local rule for orange stakes being a place that will be treated as a hazard for all dropping purposes like that of a yellow or red stake hazard based on the location, but without the option of playing the ball as it lies. OB might still have to exist when it's impossible to play a shot without violating some other rule, like a hazard behind a green, but there's no reason why about 90% of OB territory can't be replaced with some kind of drop optional hazard area.
 
other than "that's just the rule" I've yet to hear a valid reason that water is played differently than ob. to me it's asinine that we have yellow, white and red stakes. what is the rational for this? just change the rule so every ball in a hazard is played the exact same way, and structure it in a way to maintain a reasonable pace of play. I say everything should be played like a red take, but remove the ability to hit it if you can find it. drop on the line it entered the hazard. done.
The biggest reason, as I see it, is OB is there to remove the option of playing it as it lies. OB protects other people's property from golfers, like backyards, or parking lots with cars.
 
I am one that thinks the OB rule can and should be adjusted.

I am all for you should use one rule for all OB and lost ball rules like water hazards. Take a stroke and either hit from the location the ball entered or a line backwards no closer to the hole.
 
other than "that's just the rule" I've yet to hear a valid reason that water is played differently than ob. to me it's asinine that we have yellow, white and red stakes. what is the rational for this? just change the rule so every ball in a hazard is played the exact same way, and structure it in a way to maintain a reasonable pace of play. I say everything should be played like a red take, but remove the ability to hit it if you can find it. drop on the line it entered the hazard. done.

So, many lateral hazards/red penalty areas harder, but make OB easier?
 
For amateur golfers it should be just like you hit into the water. Stroke but not distance. The pros can change it or leave it as far as I am concerned.
 
The biggest reason, as I see it, is OB is there to remove the option of playing it as it lies. OB protects other people's property from golfers, like backyards, or parking lots with cars.

I agree with this, but in @McLovin scenario, he is removing the option of hitting it.

I kind of like his take.
 
For simplicity, it would be nice to see OB, red and yellow stakes be played the same.
 
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