Fallen tree

[chrisd]

In a bounce game, so nothing much ar stake, one of e guys hit near a small copse of trees where one of the trees had blown over and some of the branches were impeding his backswing.

He asked if there was any relief available as the green keepers would take the tree away soon. I agree that they would but, sort of jokingly suggested that he treat it as a loose impediment given it was completely out of the ground. I would have loved to see him drag it away !

Your decision please, would he get a free drop?

 

[Smiffy]

I would have given him one.
But then, I'm more generous than you

 

[chrisd]

I would have given him one.
But then, I'm more generous than you

I did, but then he hadnt taken the pee out of my putting!

 

[chellie]

We were told no relief when some had come down on our course last year.

 

[rulefan]

23/7 Fallen Tree

Q.Is a fallen tree a loose impediment?

A.If it is still attached to the stump, no; if it is not attached to the stump, yes.

25/9 Fallen Tree Attached to Stump

Q.A tree has fallen onto a fairway due to a windstorm and is still attached to the stump. Does it constitute ground under repair?

A.No. However, a player could request relief from the Committee and the Committee would be justified in declaring the area covered by the tree to be ground under repair.

 

[chrisd]

23/7 Fallen Tree

Q.Is a fallen tree a loose impediment?

A.If it is still attached to the stump, no; if it is not attached to the stump, yes.

25/9 Fallen Tree Attached to Stump

Q.A tree has fallen onto a fairway due to a windstorm and is still attached to the stump. Does it constitute ground under repair?

A.No. However, a player could request relief from the Committee and the Committee would be justified in declaring the area covered by the tree to be ground under repair.

Thanks for that, but what about the "left for removal" rule?

 

[Slab]

Thanks for that, but what about the "left for removal" rule?[/QUOTE

Don't the ground staff have to put something somewhere pending its removal to use that rule? I.e they would have had to have felled the tree not that the tree got there because it blew over

 

[rulefan]

It is arguable that the tree has not been piled for removal so I would suggest an equity decision from the Committee along the lines of the following decision.

25/9.5 Tree Falls onto Fairway During Stipulated Round

Q.A large tree falls onto a fairway during a stipulated round and cannot readily be removed. What should the Committee do?

A.The most appropriate course of action will depend on the circumstances in each case. The Committee has the following options:

(1) require play to continue, providing no additional relief from the fallen tree;

(2) suspend play and have the tree removed;

(3) declare the tree and the area covered by the tree to be ground under repair (Rule 25-1) and may, as an additional option, establish a dropping zone; or

(4) in equity (Rule 1-4), adopt the relief procedures under the Local Rule for Temporary Obstructions, thus providing intervention relief from the fallen tree.

 

[Colin L]

A newly blown over tree is not material that has been “piled for removal.” To meet that criterion, there would need already to have been human action by way of preparing it ready for taking away.

A more helpful approach is that the player is permitted to break bits off a loose impediment and so if the fallen, unattached tree is too big to shift, he could try breaking enough branches to clear a way for his backswing.

See Decision 23-1/4
http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-23,d23-1-4

 

[rulefan]

Colin
Are we sure the roots are not still in the ground? I would expect them to be if the tree had simply fallen rather than broken.

 

[chrisd]

Colin
Are we sure the roots are not still in the ground? I would expect them to be if the tree had simply fallen rather than broken.

We checked and they weren't, but it hadn't been attended to buy the green staff

 

[Colin L]

Colin
Are we sure the roots are not still in the ground? I would expect them to be if the tree had simply fallen rather than broken.

I was going by the OP’s description, given it was completely out of the ground