TEMPORARY WATER
The recent rain and resulting puddles on our course brought
up a few rule questions about Temporary Water (which is what Casual Water
is called in the new rules).
Once again, the following
definition tells you a lot.
Any temporary accumulation of water on the
surface of the ground (such as puddles from rain or irrigation or an overflow
from a body of water) that is not in a penalty area, and can be seen
before or after you take a stance (without pressing down excessively with your
feet).
Rule 16 covers relief from Abnormal Course Conditions
which includes Temporary Water, GUR and immovable obstructions.
Temporary water in the general area (formerly through the
green)
Your reference point when dropping is the nearest point
that gives you full relief. You must drop within one club length of the
reference point and the ball must remain in the relief area.
Temporary
water in a bunker. 
You must drop, in the same bunker, using the nearest point of full relief as your reference point. If it is not possible to take full relief, you must drop using
the nearest point of maximum relief still in the bunker.
Alternatively, for a one stroke penalty you may
choose to drop outside the bunker using the reference line going from the hole
back through where the original ball lay.
Sometimes there is temporary water on the putting green. You
may take free relief as in the diagram.
Note 1: You cannot lose a ball in Temporary Water (or GUR).
This means that if you can’t find the ball but you are virtually certain it is
in the temporary water, you may drop another ball, as in the above examples,
for no penalty.
Note 2: You cannot take free relief from Temporary Water in
a penalty area.
Note 3: You cannot take free relief from Temporary Water if it
is clearly unreasonable for another reason eg. It is deep in a bush which
prevents you from hitting the ball.
