Can Players Ground Their Club In The Wasteland At The US Open?

The 2024 US Open is proving to be yet another stern test of golf, with the world's best players tackling the tricky and treacherous Pinehurst No.2 in North Carolina.

Although the fairways are, perhaps, generous, for a US Open set-up, the hardpan sand and various shrubbery and pine needles mean that, if you were to go offline, it is a real lottery with what lie you may end up with.

Sometimes the ball can be sat up nicely on the sand, whilst other times it can embed itself into a thick bush. However, are players allowed to ground their clubs if they find the wasteland surrounding the Pinehurst layout? In this piece, we have taken a look.

Well, firstly, Pinehurst No.2 is made up of both bunkers and wasteland, so it's important that players are able to differentiate between the two. According to the Rules of Golf, a bunker is: "A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed. 

"These are not part of a bunker: A lip, wall or face at the edge of a prepared area and consisting of soil, grass, stacked turf or artificial materials; soil or any growing or attached natural object inside the edge of a prepared area (such as grass, bushes or trees); sand that has spilled over or is outside the edge of a prepared area; and all other areas of sand on the course that are not inside the edge of a prepared area (such as deserts and other natural sand areas or areas sometimes referred to as waste areas)."

So, essentially, the areas of sand that aren't groomed, such as areas not raked like a bunker, are being played as general areas, which means players can ground their club and play it as if it were fairway or rough etc.

In a video on the USGA's website, titled: 'Bunkers vs. Native Sandy Areas', it states that: "One of the things this golf course (Pinehurst No.2) is known for is the natural sandy terrain that runs throughout the property. From the Rules of Golf perspective, a question a player might have this week is 'is my ball in the general area, this sandy area, or is my ball in the bunker?'

"The rule of thumb is that this maintained area is the general area, just like if your ball is in the fairway or rough. Now, if your ball is in the part of the sand that has been raked and specially prepared, then your ball is in a bunker."

Why is this important? Well, if the ball is in the bunker, then players can't ground their club. If they do ground the club, they will receive a two-shot penalty under Rule 12.2.