drainage grill free drop

[markgs]

Today i did a terrible shoot with my 4 iron hit it into a tree and landed right on the edge of heavy rough, i walked to find it and my ball was right on top of a drainage grill with two yellow stake each side of it!! i could i played the shoot buy it would have damaged my club so i took a penalty drop. could this have been a free drop or not??

 

[Foxholer]

Not quite sure from your description but if the stakes surrounded the grill, then it has been deemed a Water Hazard - probably so that the 'lucky' circumstance gets 'punished reasonably'

 

[pbrown7582]

Under normal circumstance i would suggest a drainage grill would be treated as an immoveable object but in your case with yellow stakes it is deemed a water hazard so no free drop.