Complete relief

[berniethebolt]

What is the rationale for having to take complete relief from abnormal course conditions? Consider a wide path running more or less parallel with the fairway where it, the path, has a band of cut grass on either side then thick rough. If I am on the left side of the path I can stand in the rough and drop on the cut grass. If I am on the right hand side of the path I cannot drop on the cut grass because I would be standing on the path and not taking complete relief so must drop in the rough (or take stroke and distance or play it as it lies). You might say that is rub of the green but why does the rule say I must take complete relief?

 

[patricks148]

What is the rationale for having to take complete relief from abnormal course conditions? Consider a wide path running more or less parallel with the fairway where it, the path, has a band of cut grass on either side then thick rough. If I am on the left side of the path I can stand in the rough and drop on the cut grass. If I am on the right hand side of the path I cannot drop on the cut grass because I would be standing on the path and not taking complete relief so must drop in the rough (or take stroke and distance or play it as it lies). You might say that is rub of the green but why does the rule say I must take complete relief?

You are taking relief from the problem, doesn't mean you have to get a good lie, so you can't have your cake and eat it, not a very rules quoted answer but my take on it, as a layman??

 

[Neilds]

Also, if the point of complete relief is bad, you can elect to play as it lies off the path

 

[Swango1980]

What is the rationale for having to take complete relief from abnormal course conditions? Consider a wide path running more or less parallel with the fairway where it, the path, has a band of cut grass on either side then thick rough. If I am on the left side of the path I can stand in the rough and drop on the cut grass. If I am on the right hand side of the path I cannot drop on the cut grass because I would be standing on the path and not taking complete relief so must drop in the rough (or take stroke and distance or play it as it lies). You might say that is rub of the green but why does the rule say I must take complete relief?

Probably because the nearest point of COMPLETE relief should be a definitive spot, no argument.

If it allowed partial relief, then there would be no definitive reference point to measure a club length's relief from.

 

[rulefan]

You are taking relief from the problem, doesn't mean you have to get a good lie, so you can't have your cake and eat it, not a very rules quoted answer but my take on it, as a layman??

Exactly. You can't pick your spot as you didn't pick you spot when you put it in the original place.

 

[KenL]

Exactly. You can't pick your spot as you didn't pick you spot when you put it in the original place.

Not a "spot" to drop the ball but an area.

 

[Swango1980]

Not a "spot" to drop the ball but an area.

An area defined by a spot and a club length.

 

[jim8flog]

why does the rule say I must take complete relief?

Because the person/s who decide the rules probably took all circumstances in to consideration before settling on the actual rule.

You use the path as an example but the rule covers many situations and they clearly do not want a separate rule for every situation.

 

[YandaB]

I understand that the spot for npr is fixed, in the instance of the OP, the part stopping them achieving what they desire is the quadrant of relief available as opposed to the more often used semi circle. I suspect this has been used to prevent multiple invocations of the rule, each moving back slightly in the direction of the path, thus possibly taking them to a better overall position e.g. avoiding a tree?

 

[Foxholer]

What is the rationale for having to take complete relief from abnormal course conditions?...

As above post infers, if you don't take complete relief, you would be able to claim interference again! So could engineer relief repetedly so that you could avoid other issues with the the resulting lie!
A relief situation is an 'individual one time' exercise, though there can occasionally, but rarely, be circumstances where relief from one situation can result in another (separate) relief situation.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just to assuage a niggling doubt. When taking full/complete relief does that include ensuring that where I drop is not in a position where I can claim further relief. My understanding is that it doesn’t as any choice on what might subsequently happen following me taking a drop under full relief is a new situation and so irrelevant to the original scenario under which I am taking r elites.

I only ask to confirm that I can take a drop away for a staked tree in a plantation of young trees (where relief is given) without needing to check that my swing following taking the drop is not impeded by another staked tree. In the past I have used this to get myself out of a plantation of staked trees (yes - perhaps the plantation should be marked to save time taking multiple drops but in general we don’t do that).

 

[salfordlad]

Just to assuage a niggling doubt. When taking full/complete relief does that include ensuring that where I drop is not in a position where I can claim further relief. My understanding is that it doesn’t as any choice on what might subsequently happen following me taking a drop under full relief is a new situation and so irrelevant to the original scenario under which I am taking r elites.

I only ask to confirm that I can take a drop away for a staked tree in a plantation of young trees (where relief is given) without needing to check that my swing following taking the drop is not impeded by another staked tree. In the past I have used this to get myself out of a plantation of staked trees (yes - perhaps the plantation should be marked to save time taking multiple drops but in general we don’t do that).

You must take complete relief from the original interference for the stroke you would have played in the absence of that interference. Providing you have done that correctly, any new/different interference with a different staked tree/sprinkler head or whatever is an entirely fresh situation. So, yes, the smart, rules-knowledgeable player can potentially use multiple separate relief issues to move the ball some distance.

 

[rulie]

What is the rationale for having to take complete relief from abnormal course conditions? Consider a wide path running more or less parallel with the fairway where it, the path, has a band of cut grass on either side then thick rough. If I am on the left side of the path I can stand in the rough and drop on the cut grass. If I am on the right hand side of the path I cannot drop on the cut grass because I would be standing on the path and not taking complete relief so must drop in the rough (or take stroke and distance or play it as it lies). You might say that is rub of the green but why does the rule say I must take complete relief?

If you are not going to take relief, you have no right to lift your ball (except when applying another Rule). If you are going to take relief, you must eliminate all interference. This is not "winter rules".

 

[SammmeBee]

What is the rationale for having to take complete relief from abnormal course conditions? Consider a wide path running more or less parallel with the fairway where it, the path, has a band of cut grass on either side then thick rough. If I am on the left side of the path I can stand in the rough and drop on the cut grass. If I am on the right hand side of the path I cannot drop on the cut grass because I would be standing on the path and not taking complete relief so must drop in the rough (or take stroke and distance or play it as it lies). You might say that is rub of the green but why does the rule say I must take complete relief?

Play it from where it is if you don’t like the option……

 

[rulefan]

Not a "spot" to drop the ball but an area.

The NPCR is a spot