Distance marker stake

[bladeplayer]

Played foursomes last night at an away course , we played a dog leg L>R hole , partners t shot ended up millimeters from the 150 marker stake , normally a simple enough remove the stake play your shot decision ..

correct ?

Now 2 questions please

(1) This square shaped stake obviously had been removed a few times and had been rocked forward and back to do so, so the top of the hole was much wider than it should be .. the ball was not touching the stake so it could be removed but it was flush with the hole meaning the leading edge of your iron would be hitting into the hole , we were 99% you are not allowed relief from the hole , just the stake , so bad luck ..


(2) Hypothetical question for the 2nd one , if you gently lifted out the stake and at some stage the ball rolled back into the hole whats the ruling ?

replace ball with one shot penalty and your still in the same grief or play as it lies meaning you have to take unplayable but are in a better position

We all agreed it was hardly ever likely to happen again but were curious as to the rulings

Thanks in advance

 

[Colin L]

Unless the distance marker is deemed an immovable obstruction in the local rules, you can lift it out.

The hole in which the stake is set is a hole made by a greenkeeper and thus by definition an abnormal ground condition from which you can take free relief if there is interference to your stance or area of intended swing.

There is no penalty for moving your ball when removing an obstruction.

Despite your 99% certainty, you could have been clear of all difficulties at no cost.

 

[bladeplayer]

Unless the distance marker is deemed an immovable obstruction in the local rules, you can lift it out.

The hole in which the stake is set is a hole made by a greenkeeper and thus by definition an abnormal ground condition from which you can take free relief if there is interference to your stance or area of intended swing.

There is no penalty for moving your ball when removing an obstruction.

Despite your 99% certainty, you could have been clear of all difficulties at no cost.

Thank you very much Colin does it matter the the hole has been enlarged by other members rocking the stake back and forth to remove it? . so not what the green keeper made ? Thanks

 

[duncan mackie]

Thank you very much Colin does it matter the the hole has been enlarged by other members rocking the stake back and forth to remove it? . so not what the green keeper made ? Thanks

no

if the enlarged hole is created as an inevitable result of removing the stake (damage), or the stake is in any way challenging to remove, you could just treat it as an immovable obstruction and the issue goes away

also note that if the posts is set into a concrete 'hole' the concrete also constitutes a separate immovable obstruction after the stake is removed as a moveable one.

 

[bladeplayer]

no

if the enlarged hole is created as an inevitable result of removing the stake (damage), or the stake is in any way challenging to remove, you could just treat it as an immovable obstruction and the issue goes away

also note that if the posts is set into a concrete 'hole' the concrete also constitutes a separate immovable obstruction after the stake is removed as a moveable one.

Thank You Duncan ,

i was totally... well 99% wrong on this one

Thank you both for your replies

 

[pbrown7582]

Next time you ask your PP to leave you 150 I reckon you'd best tell him in the fairway is fine no need to take you literary!

 

[atticusfinch]

You play the course as you find it. How it got that way is not relevant, (Notwithstanding the greenskeeper)

 

[bladeplayer]

Next time you ask your PP to leave you 150 I reckon you'd best tell him in the fairway is fine no need to take you literary!

Ha ha and most days he is that good too , id say chances of it ever happening again zillion to one , always good to ask what you dont know tho, every day a school day

 

[duncan mackie]

You play the course as you find it. How it got that way is not relevant, (Notwithstanding the greenskeeper, the burrowing animal, the spectator that jumped on your ball to embed it, the drink vendor that dropped a block of ice, the water from a burst pipe, etc etc )

I might tentatively suggest that how it got that way is frequently significant...

 

[Foxholer]

I might tentatively suggest that how it got that way is frequently significant...

Example? I'm with AF on this one, though always open to be convinced.

I can really only think of vandalism/hi-jinks of moving stakes (like OOB markers). But a quick call to 'the committee' should sort such things out.

 

[Colin L]

Example? I'm with AF on this one, though always open to be convinced.

I can really only think of vandalism/hi-jinks of moving stakes (like OOB markers). But a quick call to 'the committee' should sort such things out.

He's just given five examples