Bridges vs Bulkheads

• Bridges (Immoveable Obstructions)
• Bulkheads (Integral Objects per PBCGA Hard Card)

Often, during your competition rounds situations arise that are a little more complicated to navigate without applying multiple definitions and if not multiple rules of golf, Local Rules and PBCGA Hard Card to get an answer on how to proceed. For example, encountering bridges (immovable obstructions) through penalty areas and artificial walls and pilings (bulkheads) is a common occurrence in Florida. 

To begin learning the Rules of Golf, it is recommended to start by thoroughly reading and studying the definitions provided in the Rules of Golf book. Gaining an understanding of the “Language of the Game” and the specific meanings of common words used in the rules, such as “immoveable obstruction,” “integral object,” “penalty area,” and “nearest point of compete relief,” is crucial.

 

Bridges (Immoveable Obstructions)
First let’s cover Bridges over water. These are very common on golf courses. Nearly every course in Florida has at least one bridge that goes through a red or yellow penalty area.

Remember a penalty area is, by definition, any body of water on the course (whether or not marked by the Committee), including a sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open watercourse (even if not containing water), and any other part of the course the Committee defines as a penalty area. Included in the definition of “penalty area” the edge of the penalty area is defined by the stakes or painted lines and extends both up above ground and down below ground. So, when you stand on the bridge you are standing in the penalty area, not on top of it.

The bridge is an immovable obstruction, and by definition an abnormal course condition, so now that we understand that the bridge through the penalty area is part of the penalty area, do you get free relief from it?

Where does your ball lie?

If the player has interference by the bridge (lie of ball, area of stance, or area of intended swing) and their ball lies in the penalty area (including on the bridge), the player is not entitled to free relief (REMEMBER NO FREE RELIEF FROM ABNORMAL COURSE CONDITIONS IN PENALTY AREAS).

However, if the player’s ball lies outside the penalty area and the player has interference from the bridge that lies inside the penalty area, the player is entitled to free relief

As with all immovable obstructions (cart paths, sprinkler heads, etc.), free relief is taken from the “abnormal course condition” by finding the nearest point of complete relief for the player’s lie of ball, area of stance, and area of intended swing that is not closer to the hole and in the same part of the course and drop a ball in the relief area.

Bulkheads (Integral Objects)- Artificial walls and pilings located in penalty areas and bunkers
As with several Rules of Golf there are exceptions, which bring us to Bulkheads or artificial walls and pilings when in penalty areas and bunkers.

PBCGA has addressed these objects within the Hard Card and defines the artificial objects to be integral and part of the challenge of playing the course from which free relief is not allowed.

A perfect example of this local rule can be found at THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Many times, a player’s ball comes to rest on the fringe of No. 17 green, where the wood bulkhead interferes with the player’s lie of ball, stance or swing. In this case like PBCGA championships they do not get free relief from the bulkhead (whether their ball is in the penalty area or not) The reason is, the PGA Tour has a similar Local Rule in effect that puts the integral object definition into action “artificial walls and pilings when located in penalty areas are integral objects - which free relief is not allowed.”
 
For full information and a collection of resources about changes to the Rules of Golf for 2023, visit https://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-clarifications/rules-and-clarifications.html

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