A couple of rules Questions.

Hi all,

I've been playing for just over two years now and a few rules issues arose yesterday that i wasn't sure on. Any help would be appreciated.

1. If my ball lands just off a Cart Path but my only stance is standing on the concrete of the path can I have a free drop? Or is it only if the ball itself is actually on the path?

2. If my ball sits right on the edge of the green am I permitted to place my marker on the fringe, right behind the ball and pick up the ball to clean and align it to the hole? Or am I only allowed to place my marker on the green?

Thanks

1. As long as the cart paths are covered in your local rules then yes you are entitled to relief if ball or stance are impeded

2. As long as your ball is on the green then it can be marked and lifted - even if the marker is off the green

Thanks Davie.

Assuming that the cart path is artifically surfaced, it doesn't need to be mentioned in local rules, it is an obstruction under the rules of golf definitions and relief applies.

Really? Never knew that! Always assumed as it seems to be mentioned in local rules that it was necessary to be in there - maybe clubs just put it in to remove all doubt

Had an interesting one recently at our course in an inter-club comp (if you're interested in quirky rules and players who know them). Our player's ball had come to rest beside a tree with a stake giving him no shot - he called over his competitor....

P: "Look, I've come to rest beside this tree and this stake"
C: "Tough luck chap, your course has a specific local rule saying no relief from staked trees" (It does).
P: "Yeah, but look, the tie holding the tree to the stake is broken and hanging loose"
C: "So? It's not a staked tree then, and there is still no relief."
P: "But I get relief from the immovable obstruction - right?"
C: "What immovable obstruction?!"
P: "That piece of wood embedded in the ground that's not holding up that tree"
C: "Oh. Crap. Yeah I guess you do."

In golf it seems that sportsmanship sometimes goes out of the window to religiously sticking to the rules. I understand in professional competitions when money is on the line, but in club matches is it really worth sticking to the rules so stubbornly. WOuld it have really mattered if the competitor had just said, just move the ball a bit, give yourself a bit of a chance?

beninho wrote:. WOuld it have really mattered if the competitor had just said, just move the ball a bit, give yourself a bit of a chance?

I think yes in the circumstances described - an inter club match. Friendly game I agree with you. But the competitor cannot make a decision for the whole of his team, there not being a rules official with every game. If he does anything outside the rules - you are not playing golf.

Bob_the_Job wrote:Had an interesting one recently at our course in an inter-club comp (if you're interested in quirky rules and players who know them).  Our player's ball had come to rest beside a tree with a stake giving him no shot - he called over his competitor....

P: "Look, I've come to rest beside this tree and this stake"
C: "Tough luck chap, your course has a specific local rule saying no relief from staked trees" (It does).
P: "Yeah, but look, the tie holding the tree to the stake is broken and hanging loose"
C: "So?  It's not a staked tree then, and there is still no relief."
P: "But I get relief from the immovable obstruction - right?"
C: "What immovable obstruction?!"
P: "That piece of wood embedded in the ground that's not holding up that tree"
C: "Oh. Crap.  Yeah I guess you do."

what a strange local rule!

mystiroakey wrote:

Bob_the_Job wrote:Had an interesting one recently at our course in an inter-club comp (if you're interested in quirky rules and players who know them).  Our player's ball had come to rest beside a tree with a stake giving him no shot - he called over his competitor....

P: "Look, I've come to rest beside this tree and this stake"
C: "Tough luck chap, your course has a specific local rule saying no relief from staked trees" (It does).
P: "Yeah, but look, the tie holding the tree to the stake is broken and hanging loose"
C: "So?  It's not a staked tree then, and there is still no relief."
P: "But I get relief from the immovable obstruction - right?"
C: "What immovable obstruction?!"
P: "That piece of wood embedded in the ground that's not holding up that tree"
C: "Oh. Crap.  Yeah I guess you do."

what a strange local rule!

On the assumption that the piece of wood, designed to be the stake for the tree, is an immovable obstruction, I'm not sure that relief is available. See the exception to Rule 24 - 2
"Exception: A player may not take relief under this Rule if (a) interference by anything other than an immovable obstruction makes the stroke clearly impracticable or (b) interference by an immovable obstruction would occur only through use of a clearly unreasonable stroke or an unnecessarily abnormal stance, swing or direction of play."

Also, if the piece of wood could have been moved without unreasonable effort, without unduly delaying play and without causing damage, it would be a moveable obstruction.

But as mystiroakey says - its a very strange local rule that allows you to hack away at new trees.