Gales blow golf baginto the water hazard

However, Barry Creaney had difficulty keeping his bag in play.

Playing partner Andrew Carville had hit his drive at the 15th into the large water hazard on the right which was well filled due to the recent heavy rain.

As the players searched the far side of the hazard for the ball, Barry’s bag was blown into the hazard and finished up under the water. It would have been difficult to interpret the resulting laughter as sympathy, but Andrew, Billy Leslie and Martin McKinstry gradually composed themselves and retrieved the bag at no inconsiderable danger to themselves.

But how was play to continue? There were those who argued that rules for the bag should mirror the rules for the ball. The player would either have to have seen the ball go into the water or have reasonable evidence that it had done so, and this should be the same for the bag.

No-one had actually seen the bag go into the water, but as it was the only one there it could be reasonably assumed it was Barry’s. If, however, there had been another similar bag in the water there may have been some confusion. Perhaps Barry should put an identification mark on his bag similar to the practice with balls.

Just as play is resumed by dropping a ball over the shoulder, then some suggested Barry should do the same with the bag. If this is the case, then I would suggest that he should have been permitted to unfasten it from the trolley before doing so.

Barry is unlikely to park his bag anywhere near a water hazard in future,