Couple of rule questions?

[Dannyj1984]

I have a couple of questions if someone could clarify.... I played recently with some guys I hadn't played with before. They were very nice and pointing out rules as we went along. I am still new and especially in comps I tend to ask about all the rules. On one of the later holes my ball ended up next to a tree about a foot from the trunk on the right hand side. I had a clear line from ball to the pin but obviously I couldn't get a stance to hit the ball so ended up just trying to hit it against the tree hoping it would move away a bit. It flick back and then I chipped out onto the firway as I still couldn't get a decent stance to hit up towards the green. I was under the impression I could pick the ball up and drop within a clubs length of the obstruction which would of at least allowed me to chip out and save me a shot. The people I were playing with didn't say anything though so I did as above. Can anyone tell me what the actual rule is in this situation? when a tree is stopping you getting a proper stance?

Later in the round on the last hole the wind got up and one of the guys was saying about him playing once and as he started his downswing the ball blew off the tee, he pulled up and completed his swing around waist height but the person he was playing with said it counts as 1 stroke and he must play shot 2 from where it lies.....They then went on to talk about someone (right hander) whose ball was on the edge of a water hazard and he had a horrible lie so he walked round the ball as if to play left handed, was stood in the water and so declared his stance impaired and so took a drop a clubs length away??? Is this against the rules or is it legally bending the rules?

Lastly, if a ball is on the green and 2 ft from the hole, a player plays there shot from off the green, hit the ball on the green and goes in, whats the ruling? From what I understand the player off the green is classed as holing out an the ball that was hit can be replaced?

Many thanks

Danny

 

[louise_a]

If you ( it is entirely up to you) consider you have an unplayable lie, you may drop within 2 club lengths not nearer the hole under penalty of 1 shot. Rule 28.

If you pull out of a shot there is no penalty. rule 14


You only get relief from casual water, so taking relief from water in a hazard is not allowed

If a player holes out after hitting another ball, that is fine however the ball hit must be replaced

 

[full_throttle]

you only normally get relief from tree if it is staked, (protection of young trees), you can declare the ball unplayable and take a drop within two club lenghts not nearer the hole under penalty of one stroke. (rule 28c)



a ball moved at rest must be replaced (rule 18=5)

 

[rulefan]

I have a couple of questions if someone could clarify.... I played recently with some guys I hadn't played with before. They were very nice and pointing out rules as we went along. I am still new and especially in comps I tend to ask about all the rules. On one of the later holes my ball ended up next to a tree about a foot from the trunk on the right hand side. I had a clear line from ball to the pin but obviously I couldn't get a stance to hit the ball so ended up just trying to hit it against the tree hoping it would move away a bit. It flick back and then I chipped out onto the firway as I still couldn't get a decent stance to hit up towards the green. I was under the impression I could pick the ball up and drop within a clubs length of the obstruction which would of at least allowed me to chip out and save me a shot. The people I were playing with didn't say anything though so I did as above. Can anyone tell me what the actual rule is in this situation? when a tree is stopping you getting a proper stance?

A tree is not an Obstruction as defined in the Rules. Obstructions are artificial objects. You only get relief from Immovable Obstructions.

See Obstructions here http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-14253
and rule 24-2 http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-24,24-2

Later in the round on the last hole the wind got up and one of the guys was saying about him playing once and as he started his downswing the ball blew off the tee, he pulled up and completed his swing around waist height but the person he was playing with said it counts as 1 stroke and he must play shot 2 from where it lies.....

Here is a Decision covering that situation

http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-14,d14-1.5

They then went on to talk about someone (right hander) whose ball was on the edge of a water hazard and he had a horrible lie so he walked round the ball as if to play left handed, was stood in the water and so declared his stance impaired and so took a drop a clubs length away??? Is this against the rules or is it legally bending the rules?

A complete misunderstanding of the water hazard rule. http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-26

However, was it a Water Hazard or Casual Water. See the definitions in the link above.

Even so he cannot simply change his stance to organise relief from casual water.

Lastly, if a ball is on the green and 2 ft from the hole, a player plays there shot from off the green, hit the ball on the green and goes in, whats the ruling? From what I understand the player off the green is classed as holing out an the ball that was hit can be replaced?

Correct, the ball that was hit must be replaced.
See Rule 18-5 http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-18,18-5
and 19-5 http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-19,19-5


If you have any follow up questions, may I suggest you post them in individual new threads.

 

[Colin L]

I have a couple of questions if someone could clarify.... I played recently with some guys I hadn't played with before. They were very nice and pointing out rules as we went along. I am still new and especially in comps I tend to ask about all the rules. On one of the later holes my ball ended up next to a tree about a foot from the trunk on the right hand side. I had a clear line from ball to the pin but obviously I couldn't get a stance to hit the ball so ended up just trying to hit it against the tree hoping it would move away a bit. It flick back and then I chipped out onto the firway as I still couldn't get a decent stance to hit up towards the green. I was under the impression I could pick the ball up and drop within a clubs length of the obstruction which would of at least allowed me to chip out and save me a shot. The people I were playing with didn't say anything though so I did as above. Can anyone tell me what the actual rule is in this situation? when a tree is stopping you getting a proper stance? [1]

Later in the round on the last hole the wind got up and one of the guys was saying about him playing once and as he started his downswing the ball blew off the tee, he pulled up and completed his swing around waist height but the person he was playing with said it counts as 1 stroke and he must play shot 2 from where it lies..... [2]
They then went on to talk about someone (right hander) whose ball was on the edge of a water hazard and he had a horrible lie so he walked round the ball as if to play left handed, was stood in the water and so declared his stance impaired and so took a drop a clubs length away??? Is this against the rules or is it legally bending the rules? [3]


Lastly, if a ball is on the green and 2 ft from the hole, a player plays there shot from off the green, hit the ball on the green and goes in, whats the ruling? From what I understand the player off the green is classed as holing out an the ball that was hit can be replaced? [4]


Many thanks

Danny

[1] A tree is not an obstruction (obstructions are artificial objects) and you cannot take relief without penalty. If you don't reckon on playing the shot, you can deem the ball unplayable (Rule 28) and drop your ball within 2 club lengths, not nearer the hole of where it lay; or or back as far as you like on a line from the flagstick though where the ball lay; or play a ball from where you last played. All those options carry a 1 stroke penalty.

[2] By aborting his swing, the player no longer was intending to strike the ball and so has not made a stroke. His ball has not been put into play and he can tee it up again without penalty.

[3] The player cannot get free relief because his stance is impaired by the water in a water hazard. If the ball is outside the hazard, he can deem the ball unplayable and proceed as above. with a 1 stroke penalty. If his ball is in the hazard, he cannot deem it unplayable and must either play it as it lies or take relief under penalty in accordance with the water hazard rule (Rule 26).

[4] Yes, the ball which was deflected by the ball on the green into the hole is holed. The ball that was moved must be replaced.