Drop from cart path

[Vikingman]

Hole runs in a South to North direction, a cart path 6' wide runs parallel to the fairway on the rhs. A right handed player hits his ball onto the cart path and the ball finishes just to the right of centre of the cart path, ie 2' 9" from the right edge of the path and 3' 3" from the left side.

If we assume that in taking relief the player will need a further 3' for his stance then his drop to the right side will be approx 5' 9" from his original ball position but dropping to the left and not requiring additional stance space he will actually drop the ball closer to its original position.

Thus although his ball his actually closer to the right of the path dropping to the left is closer to the original position for a right handed golfer.

Which side does he drop on?

 

[oltimer]

Interesting one - I would say right side for np relief would be where he could take a stance which would be a couple of inches off the path, should get some differing answers on this one

 

[Colin L]

The nearest point is where the ball will be nearest to where it lies on the path

 

[Foxholer]

The nearest point is where the ball will be nearest to where it lies on the path

I believe the question was, in effect, which side would that be?

Assuming the cart-path is paved or has been deemed an immovable obstruction, that would be to the left as 24-2a states... 'Interference by an immovable obstruction occurs when a ball lies in or on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player's stance or the area of his intended swing.'

So unless the player allows a further 3' for his stance when 'taking relief' the cart-path would still be interfering with his stance, so he would not have taken relief as per 24-2b... 'Through the Green: If the ball lies through the green, the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.'

 

[louise_a]

You have to take full relief so your stance must be taken into account as you cannot stand on the path you are taking relief from.
So I would say in this instance you drop to the left of the path

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The nearest point is where the ball will be nearest to where it lies on the path

We debated this at length on a question I raised (more to do with out of bounds running parallel with and about 2ft from the RHS of the track - this meaning ball could not be dropped in bounds). The guidance you have given for this question could equally have applied to my question - but I don't recall that it ever did.

In my scenario the ball was closer to the RHS of the track but the LHS of the track was closer to my ball than anywhere I could have dropped my ball at a NPR (if I could have) immediately to the RHS of the track. This seems to imply that all the discussion about where my NPR to the RHS of the track was irrelevant as the LHS of the track is closer to my ball's original position than ANY NPR to the right.

 

[rulefan]

It's all here

http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-25,d25-1b-2

 

[Colin L]

I believe the question was, in effect, which side would that be?

And I believe that my answer was, in effect, on whichever side results in the ball being nearer where it lay on the path.

But fair enough, it was a bit cryptic.

 

[duncan mackie]

And I believe that my answer was, in effect, on whichever side results in the ball being nearer where it lay on the path.

But fair enough, it was a bit cryptic.

Didn't seem cryptic to me - pointed maybe; but with reason.

You simply can't answer this question any other way; the answer doesn't lie with assumption's over stance width etc

Folow due process to establish the valid point of relief on each side of the path and the one that's nearest to the point the ball lay on the path is the NPR for use.

 

[jim8flog]

From the rule book

25-1b/2

Diagrams Illustrating Nearest Point of Relief

The diagrams illustrate the term "nearest point of relief" in Rule 25-1b(i) in the case of both a right-handed and left-handed player.

The "nearest point of relief" must be strictly interpreted. A player is not permitted to choose on which side of the ground under repair he will drop the ball, unless there are two equidistant "nearest points of relief." Even if one side of the ground under repair is fairway and the other is bushes, if the "nearest point of relief" is in the bushes then the player, if taking relief, must drop the ball within one club-length of that point, even though he may have to drop the ball in a virtually unplayable lie.

The same procedure applies under Rule 24-2b dealing with immovable obstructions.

 

[rulefan]

See post #7. It's all there.

 

[Hosel Fade]

Wherever the nearest point taking full relief for swing and stance is nearer to the original lie, so in your example the left by a decent margin