Fairly taking a stance

[Jigger]

There are two Clarifications on this topic:
8.1b/2 – Examples of “Fairly Taking a Stance”
Although a player is allowed to play in any direction, they are not entitled to a normal stance or swing and must adapt to the situation and use the least intrusive course of action.

Examples of actions that are considered fairly taking a stance and are allowed under Rule 8.1b even if the action results in an improvement include:

• Backing into a branch or a boundary object when that is the only way to take a stance for the selected stroke, even if this moves the branch or boundary object out of the way or causes it to bend or break.
• Bending a branch with their hands to get under a tree to play a ball when that is the only way to get under the tree to take a stance.
  See8.1b/3 for when a player gets a penalty for doing more than is necessary to take a stance.

8.1b/3 – Examples of Not “Fairly Taking a Stance”
Examples of actions that are not considered fairly taking a stance and will result in a penalty under Rule 8.1a if they improve the conditions affecting the stroke include:

• Deliberately moving, bending or breaking branches with a hand, a leg or the body to get them out of the way of the backswing or stroke.
• Standing on tall grass or weeds in a way that pushes them down and to the side so that they are out of the way of the area of intended stance or swing, when a stance could have been taken without doing so.
• Hooking one branch on another or braiding two weeds to keep them away from the stance or swing.
• Using a hand to bend a branch that obscures the view of the ball after taking the stance.
• Bending an interfering branch in taking a stance when a stance could have been taken without doing so.

So in the original example given I read that as being ok to bushwhack the nettles to clear room for a stance as long as those on the line of the intended stroke are left alone. Is that correct? Thanks

 

[rulie]

So in the original example given I read that as being ok to bushwhack the nettles to clear room for a stance as long as those on the line of the intended stroke are left alone. Is that correct? Thanks

No, it is not correct. Conditions affecting the stroke include the area of intended stance. See the Clarification 8,1b/3 - Examples of NOT "Fairly Taking a Stance". If you "bushwhack the nettles to clear room for a stance", you are deliberately moving, bending or breaking things to improve the conditions affecting the stroke and will incur a penalty.

 

[Jigger]

No, it is not correct. Conditions affecting the stroke include the area of intended stance. See the Clarification 8,1b/3 - Examples of NOT "Fairly Taking a Stance". If you "bushwhack the nettles to clear room for a stance", you are deliberately moving, bending or breaking things to improve the conditions affecting the stroke and will incur a penalty.

The best example of not fairly taking a stance is

• Standing on tall grass or weeds in a way that pushes them down and to the side so that they are out of the way of the area of intended stance or swing, when a stance could have been taken without doing so.

Wouldn’t standing in nettles fit as an exemption to a bold bit?

 

[Colin L]

The Rules don't recognise whins, brambles,, wild roses, hawthorn or suchlike jaggy things as anything special. Likewise stingy things like nettles.

 

[badgergm]

If you cause a couple of leaves to fall such that area of intended swing is improved, can you change your stroke to avoid the penalty? E.g. by playing out sideways rather than forwards. The leaves would not be relevant to th actually played in the end.

 

[rulie]

If you cause a couple of leaves to fall such that area of intended swing is improved, can you change your stroke to avoid the penalty? E.g. by playing out sideways rather than forwards. The leaves would not be relevant to th actually played in the end.

No, the penalty can not be avoided by changing the stroke. See Clarification 8.1a/3.