Drop from tree-is it or isnt it under driver length??

[hamshanker]

While playing yesterday my ball came to rest at the base of a smallish fir tree, no shot what so ever...

Looked at local rules on the card and it said 'free drop from all staked trees & trees less than the height of your driver'

Now thought i might get away with this as the tree had naturally grown curved,prob to do with wind, weather etc,so the height of the tree was less than a driver but if you were to manhandle the tree and straighten it up it measured about 6 foot...

So,should i get free drop or not??

cheers

 

[rosecott]

I think you're pushing it a bit.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

There's using the rules to your advantage and there's pushing it a bit, this is pushing it a bit

 

[North Mimms]

wow!
Must be pretty windy at your course

 

[duncan mackie]

I am afraid you would have to ask the person that wrote the local rule

having said that I would interpret the height of your driver to be exactly that ie a height without straightening etc

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Hmmm......interesting one. I suppose this might come down to the old 'within the rules but not the spirit of the game' conundrum.

I would actually say yes, within the laws you could claim a free drop. You might find that nobody wants to have a drink with you in the bar afterwards though

 

[fundy]

Have to say I disagree here, would stand my driver up next to the tree as it was and if the driver was taller I would take a drop, cant see how the onus on you is to straighten the tree out to compare heights

 

[williamalex1]

we have yellow tags put on trees that you can drop away from. no tag no free drop no matter the tree height

 

[RGDave]

Never heard of this. We have staked trees (sure) and small trees too.

I can't think I've stopped to give the tree a height check.

If it's a local rule, it's a local rule.

Now where's my 40ft fishing rod with an old driver head sellotaped to the end.

 

[North Mimms]

I think next time you play this course you should take a photo of this poor deformed tree

 

[hamshanker]

Have to say I disagree here, would stand my driver up next to the tree as it was and if the driver was taller I would take a drop, cant see how the onus on you is to straighten the tree out to compare heights

Now thats what i was thinking when i looked at the card as i know some courses do have this rule put in place to protect young tres without stakes,so thought i might be able to use the rule to my advantage for a change..

Anyway,2 of the group didnt know and the other came out straight away with a 'no ya dont' ,so as i was'nt sure i took a penalty drop as i couldnt be bothered argueing with him as he was'nt happy with me regarding an earlier ruling against him...

But thinking about it i think i should have got it:clap:

 

[rosecott]

But thinking about it i think i should have got it:clap:

Yes, but would you have slept peacefully tonight?

 

[Foxholer]

Free drop imo.

Height is height - not length.

You could, of course, taken relief as for free relief and, provided it didn't exceed 2 club lengths - as for penalty 'relief' - obtained a ruling later.

 

[bobmac]

......with or without the headcover ???

 

[Colin L]

Free drop imo.

Height is height - not length.

So when a 100 foot high tree blows over in a storm, it becomes a 12 foot high tree?

 

[bobmac]

So when a 100 foot high tree blows over in a storm, it becomes a 12 foot high tree?

The tree was still standing was it not?

 

[rosecott]

So when a 100 foot high tree blows over in a storm, it becomes a 12 foot high tree?

Colin

Exactly how long is your driver? 12'1"?

 

[Colin L]

I was merely posing a sort of philosophical question

I suspect Hamshanker would want to define my 100 foot tree as material piled by a greenkeeper for collection

 

[hamshanker]

I was merely posing a sort of philosophical question

I suspect Hamshanker would want to define my 100 foot tree as material piled by a greenkeeper for collection

Too right i would and i would sleep well....

 

[Colin L]

To be be fair, the situation was real and deserves a serious answer, so for what it's worth here's mine.

The purpose of the local rule is to protect young trees as permitted in Appendix 1 of the Rules. In deciding that relief would be given for trees no more than a driver height, the intention of the Committee was to protect young trees which had grown no more than the length of driver. This tree was significantly beyond the amount of growth envisaged by the Committee for relief. The fact that it had been bent over by the wind is irrelevant: the tree had considerably more than a driver's length of growth.

So if pushed for a ruling when I much prefer a seat on the fence, I would say no relief on that basis. Highly arguable though.