Re: Dustin Johnson, Two Bunker Related Questions

(Click on image to enlarge)We all know by now that the PGA plastered a memo about the bunkers around the locker room. Dustin Johnson didn't get that memo. Yes, shame on him for not reading it. I think we agree that is unfortunate, but as Nick Watney explained after the round, Johnson wasn't the only one to bypass the reading material.

Either way, in the heat of the moment and with horrible crowd control making the boundary of this bunker indecipherable, you have to think at least 25% of the field makes the same mistake, maybe more.

In the more detailed Supplementary Rules of Play, they featured the text on bunkers (below, viewable on right).

Supplementary Rules of Play

1. Bunkers: All areas of the course that were designed and built as sand bunkers will be played as bunkers (hazards), whether or not they have been raked. This will mean that many bunkers positioned outside of the ropes, as well as some areas of bunkers inside the ropes, close to the rope line, will likely include numerous footprints, heel prints and tire tracks during the play of the Championship. Such irregularities of surface are a part of the game and no free relief will be available from these conditions.

First question: do you think you could identify "all areas of the course that were designed and built as sand bunkers"? I'd like to think I could, but I study this stuff and make a living analyzing design and even I look at the Google aerial of Whistling Straits and would have a hard time labeling some of these areas as bunkers. And that's without spectators standing on top of me!

Most golfers should not be put in a position to determine whether something is a sand blowout from those beautiful Wisconsin winters, or the product of Pete's mind, or the product of something else, like a good old fashioned sinkhole. Golfers are there to play, not analyze what Dye intended or did not intend to be a bunker, are they?

Now, after that first rule--and not included in the above item that was sent out by the PGA last night--there is a note about the 5th hole, and then the PGA also included this:

Note 2: Where necessary blue dots define the margins of a bunker.

(Click on image to enlarge)So where were these blue dots on 18? Or were they not deemed necessary?

I've reviewed tape of several bunkers out of play and could not see them. They must be tiny. Anyone who was there see dots anywhere on the course?

But I go back to the first question. If the distinction between defined, "built" bunkers and those that are less-defined required a blue dot, then something is just not right about the decision to treat all of the bunkers the same. And that's not taking into account the different daily grooming, as well as the installation of drainage in some but not others, etc...

Gentlemen and ladies, start your keyboards...