Ball on the wrong green - clarification please.

[IanG]

After this came up in a recent match could someone clarify the following for me please.

Situation: drive ends up on the wrong green. Nearest point of relief not closer to the hole is either a 2ft fringe of the green or thereafter rough.


Is the fringe the nearest point of relief or do I need to drop the ball in the rough ?

Seems like criminal damage to inflict the inevitable divot on the fringe that placing it there would result in.

Thanks

Ian

 

[Foxholer]

Here's the Rule.

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-of-Golf.aspx#/rules/?ruleNum=25&subRuleNum=3

If NPoR is on the fringe, then that's it. However, you have 1 club length allowance and NPoR means your stance cannot be on the green. So if the rough isn't too bad, you could reach the rough if you want. If ball should roll so that resultant stance is on green, then re-drop (then place if it happens again).

I'm normally a picker, so fringe would be fine for me.

Hop that helps.

 

[Colin L]

Here's the Rule.

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-of-Golf.aspx#/rules/?ruleNum=25&subRuleNum=3

If NPoR is on the fringe, then that's it. However, you have 1 club length allowance and NPoR means your stance cannot be on the green. So if the rough isn't too bad, you could reach the rough if you want. If ball should roll so that resultant stance is on green, then re-drop (then place if it happens again).

I'm normally a picker, so fringe would be fine for me.

Hop that helps.

Oops, Foxholer, read this bit of 25-3 again.

Interference to a player’s stance or the area of his intended swing is not, of itself, interference under this Rule.

The NPR in this instance is the nearest place off the green where the ball can be played without interference from the green. Interference to stance and area of swing are excluded. Depending on where you are, this can mean the player is standing on the green to play his shot. For example on the right hand side of a wrong green, a right handed player could well be standing on the green.

 

[IanG]

Thanks for your replies I think all is clear now and what we did was legal but not necessarily our best option.

As foxholer suggested we used the 1 club length from the edge of the green to drop in the (horrid) rough. It's good to know for the future we could have played from the fringe if is was a serious comp and worth the divot on our lovely course.

Turns out we lost the hole, but won the match, so all is well

 

[duncan mackie]

Ian, just to pick up on one point in your earlier post

"Nearest point of relief not closer to the hole is either a 2ft fringe of the green or thereafter rough."

The nearest point of relief that fully complies with the rules is rarely represented by a choice - it obviously can happen, but it's much rarer than people seem to 'find'!

 

[Colin L]

Edited. Duncan has said what this post was going to say.

 

[IanG]

Duncan, thanks for that. Yes, my initial wording reflected MY own uncertainty about where the NPR was rather than an implying I had a choice.

cheers
Ian

 

[Foxholer]

Oops, Foxholer, read this bit of 25-3 again.

Interference to a player’s stance or the area of his intended swing is not, of itself, interference under this Rule.

The NPR in this instance is the nearest place off the green where the ball can be played without interference from the green. Interference to stance and area of swing are excluded. Depending on where you are, this can mean the player is standing on the green to play his shot. For example on the right hand side of a wrong green, a right handed player could well be standing on the green.

Doh! Thanks for that correction. I'd considered the 'Interference' clause for the 'original' situation, but then not considered the logical extension of dropping it on the fringe!