Bad luck or relief - distance stick

[dejf]

Hi,

I've had a bad luck today after a good drive my ball ended up just a couple of yards off fairway just near the 150y stick. On our course, around these sticks there is an area with about 2ft radius, without any grass, only ground and couple of stones that can be removed.

I removed the stick, but it is a heavy one and I literally played a shot with my right foot (heel) on/above the stick hole, which was like 2.5-3 inches in radius. So, an awkward stance, ball on the mud with grass in front of it in the direction of my shot (I was on the inside edge of that no grass area).

Was it bad luck, or was there something I could get a relief from?

 

[Hosel Fade]

Hi,

I've had a bad luck today after a good drive my ball ended up just a couple of yards off fairway just near the 150y stick. On our course, around these sticks there is an area with about 2ft radius, without any grass, only ground and couple of stones that can be removed.

I removed the stick, but it is a heavy one and I literally played a shot with my right foot (heel) on/above the stick hole, which was like 2.5-3 inches in radius. So, an awkward stance, ball on the mud with grass in front of it in the direction of my shot (I was on the inside edge of that no grass area).

Was it bad luck, or was there something I could get a relief from?

No relief from the bare ground itself, I'm not sure about the status of the hole where the post was in, especially if there is no pipe or similar inside

 

[dejf]

I don't think there was any artificial thing that would hold the stick, I think it was just a hole in the ground without any unnatural stabilization.

 

[Foxholer]

Distance markers, that can be removed, are moveable obstructions - unless otherwise defined by LR (possible).

So no problem removing the 'stick', but no further relief - unless specifically defined by LR (which would be unlikely).

Often easiest to actually get ruling from the Club (or Pro Shop), as they would know whether there is an LR in place. Some clubs actually concrete (some) stakes in to prevent folk simply removing them and leaving them on the ground (or at least not putting them back correctly). More important with WH ones, depending on whether the ball is in (no relief) or outside (IO relief) the hazard!

 

[dejf]

More important with WH ones, depending on whether the ball is in (no relief) or outside (IO relief) the hazard!

Could you please explain?

 

[louise_a]

Could you please explain?

WH means sticks that mark a water hazard, if your ball is outside the hazard you can get relief, if your ball is in the hazard you can't

 

[dejf]

WH means sticks that mark a water hazard, if your ball is outside the hazard you can get relief, if your ball is in the hazard you can't

But usually, these are movable and thus can be removed, so that was only for the case of immovable stakes that Foxholer was talking about, right?

 

[dejf]

Still, it remains to answer - what is the status of a hole that is present after a movable obstruction was moved?

 

[rulefan]

GUR - A hole made by a greenkeeper.

 

[dejf]

GUR - A hole made by a greenkeeper.

Thank you! But can I really always expect that a hole for distance markers are classified as such?
So, could I really take a relief there?

 

[Foxholer]

Thank you! But can I really always expect that a hole for distance markers are classified as such?
...

Without a LR, then Yes - otherwise according to the LR, even if it breaches a role of golf

...
So, could I really take relief there?

Assuming no LR, which would take precedence if one existed....Does it interfere with your stroke or stance? If so, Yes; if not, then No!

PS: Removed the 'a' as that invites a rather different interpretation!!!

 

[dejf]

Thanks a lot

This ...

otherwise according to the LR, even if it breaches a role of golf

is a completely different topic ... but are you sure? Could you link to a decision that handles this, can't find any specific to that. I mean, if a course has a local rule that is not valid, does the rule really hold?

 

[rulefan]

Thank you! But can I really always expect that a hole for distance markers are classified as such?
So, could I really take a relief there?

Is satisfies the definition so cannot be classified otherwise.

 

[rulefan]

Without a LR, then Yes - otherwise according to the LR, even if it breaches a role of golf

Assuming no LR, which would take precedence if one existed.

If the committee publishes an unauthorised LR which purports to overrule a RoG, the R&A would not adjudicate on any rules queries in any competition held there. Further, any competition would not be a qualifier under CONGU regulations.