How close to a sprinkler head do you need to be to get relief?

[Orikoru]

I think this is an important principle, so let me try and present it as clearly as I can.
1. If you aren't in competition you can do what you like, how you like it - the end.
2. If you are in competition the rules are there to enable you to compete either against opponents, or against the field. In the former situation, match play, what you agree with your opponents is fine until you don't agree - at which point you have a choice; do what you believe the rules permit, and risk them making a claim that you were in breach of the rules which then has to be ruled on by the committee, or agree with their view.
In a stroke play event if your marker doesn't agree with what you did he will refuse to sign your card (so it's good to discuss it with him at the time to avoid later hassle) and if your fellow competitors don't agree they must raise it with the committee (so again it is sensible to gauge opinion at the time - but unlike match play consensus doesn't make what was done correct).
In this particular situation the correct procedure if you believe you are entitled to relief, but your marker or others disagree, is to proceed under 20.1 c (which incidentially starts with the line "no right to decide rules issues by agreement"). Note this is fundamentally different from you making a decision and no body having any issues with it - the point I think Liverpool Phil was making.

All of that is agreeable, I'm just saying that if anyone disputed me getting free relief I just wouldn't take the relief and get on with it as that's easier.

 

[duncan mackie]

All of that is agreeable, I'm just saying that if anyone disputed me getting free relief I just wouldn't take the relief and get on with it as that's easier.

And I understand that. The problem I end up with in such situations is two fold - 1. What you didn't do gets reinforced in everyone's eyes as the correct situation (which it may, or may not, be) and 2. People sitting in the bar arguing (now pointlessly) about such situations.
Playing 2 balls under 21.c can be done smoothly, without delay and, most importantly all round, without any argument or stress - the decision moves gracefully to a third party (the committee) after the round is completed. Good practice to take a picture on a phone in such a situations as the one under discussion btw - helps no end in making a ruling.

 

[Deleted member 25172]

And I understand that. The problem I end up with in such situations is two fold - 1. What you didn't do gets reinforced in everyone's eyes as the correct situation (which it may, or may not, be) and 2. People sitting in the bar arguing (now pointlessly) about such situations.
Playing 2 balls under 21.c can be done smoothly, without delay and, most importantly all round, without any argument or stress - the decision moves gracefully to a third party (the committee) after the round is completed. Good practice to take a picture on a phone in such a situations as the one under discussion btw - helps no end in making a ruling.

What would happen in a match play scenario if someone gives himself free relief whilst opponent disagrees with decision and loses the hole for the match?

Issue raised after with committe who rule free relief shouldn’t have been given. DQ?

 

[rulefan]

The player will lose the hole

 

[rulie]

The player will lose the hole

Provided, of course, that the opponent made the request for a later ruling by notifying the player in time - before either player makes a stroke to begin another hole, or in the case of the last hole of the match before the result is made final.

 

[duncan mackie]

Provided, of course, that the opponent made the request for a later ruling by notifying the player in time - before either player makes a stroke to begin another hole, or in the case of the last hole of the match before the result is made final.

👍
Which is of course necessary so that the players know they have to play the match to a finish based on any ruling subsequently made ie they never have to go back out!

 

[Pathetic Shark]

I remember some clown trying to claim relief from the rough off the green as the place he wanted to land his chip shot some 10 yards away was right on a sprinkler head so he wanted to move his ball about five yards away to a clearer area where he could land it better. The two of us playing with him just started laughing and told him not a chance. He was so insistent that he took the drop anyway and played the hole out. We naturally reported it and because he didn't take a second ball, he was DQ'd. No-one was that upset as he apparently had form before in that respect.