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

I kind of like his take.

a penalty is a penalty, right? why do we have to complicate it with 3 stupid ways to play each different type of penalty? seems like my way can simplify things, still protect property, keep people safe, and speed the game up. the only thing potential detriment I see is removing the option to hit out of a lateral hazard. in my way, that option is removed so it's always a one-stroke penalty. one shot in, one penalty shot to drop, hitting your next shot. easy. i'm a genius.
 
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.

I am fine if you want to treat it like a lateral. If you can identify where the ball crossed you can treat it like a lateral but there needs to be a course boundry defined somewhere. I don't know that particular course but that very well could have been a course boundry. If that is the case just because you can see it doesn't mean you can go play it.

I would be okay with changing to a one stroke penalty with a drop or the option to go back and re tee.
 
I think it depends on the area marked as OB. If it separates a property line, I believe that it should be OB. Or if a player could be put in danger venturing into an area, such as the driving range, then I believe those areas are properly marked as OB. If OB just for the sake of making it more challenging, then it absolutely should go.
 
a penalty is a penalty, right? why do we have to complicate it with 3 stupid ways to play each different type of penalty? seems like my way can simplify things, still protect property, keep people safe, and speed the game up. the only thing potential detriment I see is removing the option to hit out of a lateral hazard. in my way, that option is removed so it's always a one-stroke penalty. one shot in, one penalty shot to drop, hitting your next shot. easy. i'm a genius.
What if they cut the grass next to a pond and repaint the red line a couple inches lower down the bank? Now the shot I had to take a penalty for being an inch over the line yesterday is an inch inside the line today.
 
So agree with everyone, but playing devils advocate, the ball came near train tracks so could this not be a safety issue?
The devil does not need an advocate - he is pretty good at that himself. :p
 
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 agree with this.
 
I don't like distance plus stroke. Play it as a lateral hazard, add a stroke, drop it within one club length of the OB line, and carry on.
As sometime who frequently finds OB, I concur. ;) our men's league that is made up of mid- high handicappers play our scrambles like this.
 
What if they cut the grass next to a pond and repaint the red line a couple inches lower down the bank? Now the shot I had to take a penalty for being an inch over the line yesterday is an inch inside the line today.

Sounds like a reasonable, and likely common, course setup change.
 
I have gone back and forth on this topic. Today's thinking: fine, change it.

OB = 1.5 (I love fractions) stroke penalty with drop just like hazard where ball enters. Big difference is that there is no "hero" shot option to play from OB. OB still keeps a little extra penalty from a hazard.
 
I have no issues with the OB rule.
 
Sounds like a reasonable, and likely common, course setup change.
BUt its not a static OB line like we have. This is a hypothetical situation that Chris has now removed a playable shot from one day to the next. Its not in the water and is playable, and still on property.
 
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.
Combine these two here, and I think we’ve got a great amendment. I really think it could speed things up when factoring in distance lost.

Besides, when most people I’ve played with hit OB, this is how the balls are played. It’s a common sense approach.
 
BUt its not a static OB line like we have. This is a hypothetical situation that Chris has now removed a playable shot from one day to the next. Its not in the water and is playable, and still on property.

How did anyone remove a playable shot? If it's dry (or even if it's wet in some cases), then you still have the option to play it most of the time.
 
There’s a course that I occasionally play that frustrates the heck out of me. There’s a creek that runs down The left side of the property. It is pretty much the same distance from the fairway on the majority of holes. But because of the goofy property line, some holes it is OB and other holes it is a red stake. That is where it frustrates me more so than any other situation.
 
How did anyone remove a playable shot? If it's dry (or even if it's wet in some cases), then you still have the option to play it most of the time.

I did. I think we should remove the ability to play the shot. Streamline all 3 penalties into one.
 
How did anyone remove a playable shot? If it's dry (or even if it's wet in some cases), then you still have the option to play it most of the time.
In the example I originally quoted above, McLovin's suggestion is to make red staked penalty areas played like current OB is played. Hence the "hypothetical situation" qualifier.
 
What if they cut the grass next to a pond and repaint the red line a couple inches lower down the bank? Now the shot I had to take a penalty for being an inch over the line yesterday is an inch inside the line today.

not my problem. take it up with the super or the grounds crew. common sense would say they would know the rules and alter their maintenance accordingly. or, you know, don't hit it where you're not supposed to.

honestly the same thing happens on tour all the time. one day the rough is long enough to stop a ball from rolling into the hazard. the next day, it's not.
 
not my problem. take it up with the super or the grounds crew. common sense would say they would know the rules and alter their maintenance accordingly. or, you know, don't hit it where you're not supposed to.

honestly the same thing happens on tour all the time. one day the rough is long enough to stop a ball from rolling into the hazard. the next day, it's not.
You don't hit it where you're not supposed to...

 
In the example I originally quoted above, McLovin's suggestion is to make red staked penalty areas played like current OB is played. Hence the "hypothetical situation" qualifier.

Gotcha. I missed that you quoted his hypothetical situation. I guess that's as good a reason as any why that process won't work.
 
Just make it all the same, sure makes it simpler to understand during a regular round of golf with your buddies
 
not my problem. take it up with the super or the grounds crew. common sense would say they would know the rules and alter their maintenance accordingly. or, you know, don't hit it where you're not supposed to.

honestly the same thing happens on tour all the time. one day the rough is long enough to stop a ball from rolling into the hazard. the next day, it's not.

I think assuming grounds crews know the rules (or maybe assuming they care about them) is going a little far.
 
Just make it all the same, sure makes it simpler to understand during a regular round of golf with your buddies

I don't get this. First, what's confusing now? Second, what's an irregular round of golf? :eek:;):cool::rolleyes:
 
I think it was @Canadan that mentioned an adjustment I would be ok with . 2 strokes and drop no closer to the hole. So it is a stiff penalty, but your not going back to the tee.
 
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