Island Greens

With The Players starting tomorrow all attention will focus on the 17th green at the TPC Sawgrass.  Pete Dye’s island green presents some interesting rules issues. 

The primary question is how should the island green be marked?  It is a long way to the other side of the lake so marking it as a regular water hazard (Yellow lines) would be slow down play for the player who hits it over the green.  He could retee (Rule 26-1a) or keep the point of entry between himself and the hole (Rule 26-1b) and walk all the way to the other side of the lake.  But, marking it as a lateral water hazards (Red lines) creates even more problems.  The player who hits it over the green could probably find a place to drop on the island.  What of the player who hits a hook or slice and then claims that it flew over the edge of the green?  He would also want to drop on the island and arguments could ensue.

The best compromise is to mark it as a regular hazard, but then to add a Drop Zone as an additional option for the player.  Now the player who hits it into the hazard can replay from the tee, go to where it last crossed and drop keeping the point between himself and the hole or go to the drop zone which is about 80 yards from the green.  Most opt for the drop zone, but Fred Couples reteed it a few years ago and then slam dunked it for an interesting par.

The other question has to do with the wooden pilings that surround the green.  They are inside the water hazard.  If the player’s ball comes to rest inside the hazard, he wouldn’t get relief from them, but if his ball was just outside the hazard and he had interference for his stance he would get relief.  Because of this, the PGA Tour and most other organizations declare pilings in hazards to be integral parts of the course so that two players whose balls may only be inches apart get treated the same.