Can Players Ground Their Club In The Wasteland At The US Open?
Pinehurst No.2 is littered with sand and shrubbery, but can players ground their club in it? Here, we take a look at the ruling for the 2024 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?'
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"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.
Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.
Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.
Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?
Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°
Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°
Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°
Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
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