This month we are taking on double duty of Crossing and Lateral Obstacles.
First, a little history: Prior to WHS™ updating the Rules of Golf in 2019, the Course Rating System rated Out of Bounds/Extreme Rough (OB/ER) and Water as two separate obstacles. Both were then divided into whether the golfer must go over the issue or whether it was to the side(s). With the inclusion of Penalty Areas, it was decided to separate these obstacles into Crossing Obstacles and Lateral Obstacles.
Both Crossing and Lateral Obstacles may include penalty areas (PA), extreme rough (ER) and out of bounds (OB) and any combination of the three.
Crossings are based on the length to safely carry the trouble, including 10 yards beyond the far margin of the obstacle. Lateral is assessed by measuring the shot length and then how close the obstacle is to either the right or the left side (or both!) of the fairway landing zone or the green. Please note that the term lateral in this instance has nothing to do with the color of stakes or relief options under the Rules of Golf.
There are two adjustments that are applied to both crossing and lateral.
Percentage would be applied for Crossing when the obstacle is narrow, only partially crosses, or can be played from part of the time. At Portland Golf Club, the yardage to cross the pond on #11 and the creek on #12 is almost the same distance, but the impact of a ball hit halfway on #11 (lose a ball, relief back to the tee with added penalty stroke) and hitting halfway on #12 (a bit of embarrassment, but still have a ball to play to the green) is very different. We would apply a 50% adjustment to #12.
Applying the percentage adjustment for lateral depends on the specific landing zone. In this example from #11 at Rose City, the yellow landing zone would be percentage down 75% because the PA only exists at the very end of the landing zone. The green area, by 50% because it exists more towards the beginning (more likely to get into trouble than yellow), and the red zone would be assessed the full value.
Percentages can also be applied to areas of extreme rough where some areas would be a lost ball while other areas the ball can be found and played.
A Two (2) adjustment can occur when crossing multiple times or there is a lateral obstacle on two or more shots. They both require a minimum number from our handy charts to consider this adjustment.
After those adjustments, the rest are individually applied, for instance a crossing that is also very close to a green would be assessed a (C) Carry adjustment. Crossing over a pond that is 120 yards, when the player is hitting a 200 to 250-yard drive is less difficult than that same 120-yard crossing that is right in front of the green, such as Lewis River Golf Course #17.
Bounce may be either a reduction, due to a line of trees or a fence that can stop a ball from going OB or an addition where a downhill slope causes the ball to bounce into a penalty area.
Q, or squeeze, happens when a combination of obstacles on both sides of the fairway landing zone is inside of 40 yards (+1) or 30 yards (+2). That hole that has a river running the length of an entire hole with OB along the other side can be very intimidating!
A green that is surrounded by water, OB, extreme rough or any combination of the three may be assessed a Surround (S) adjustment. That green must meet certain parameters or how far the obstacle is from the edge of the green and the fraction of the green that is surrounded. The signature hole of Lost Tracks’ par 3 #16, has a surround adjustment. However, there is no adjustment for having to walk across the cool bridge, a repurposed railway car.
When Water and OB/ER were combined, we had to add in a factor that covered stroke and distance penalties, for lost or OB shots, into lateral obstacles, the “K” adjustment was added. Why the “k”? Because S is surround, T for tier (green target, green surface), R for rise/drop (R&R), O for obstruction (trees) and E for extreme (R&R, Bunkers). K was the last letter in “stroKe” that was available for our codes!
Stay tuned for November’s Tee to Green episode of Trees!