Immovable obstruction or not?

[Canfordhacker]

Separating the range from our first fairway is a high net fence. There is nothing in the local rules to state whether it should be considered an immovable obstruction, or whether it is an integral part of the course.

What choices does a player have if the fence interferes with his swing? I'm seeing different behaviours, and just want to see what people think.

 

[DCB]

Is the range designated as out of bounds ? Is the range fence an out of bounds marker/fence ?

 

[Canfordhacker]

Is the range designated as out of bounds ? Is the range fence an out of bounds marker/fence ?

The range is out of bounds, but there is no designation of the fence as an out of bounds marker.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Are you at Dudsbury now? I have played Dorset open there and seen people take a penalty drop from against the fence.

 

[ManinBlack]

If the range is OOB then the fence is an integral part of the course, surely, just like a boundary wall.

 

[rulefan]

The range is out of bounds, but there is no designation of the fence as an out of bounds marker.

No designation on or near the fence or no designation on the card or a notice board?

 

[drdel]

Pedantically I'd have thought there would/should be white stakes to indicate the OOB boundary line since, if the range is OOB, the boundary would be just inside the fence which is silly. Paint the range fence posts white; problem solved.

 

[rulefan]

Pedantically I'd have thought there would/should be white stakes to indicate the OOB boundary line since, if the range is OOB, the boundary would be just inside the fence which is silly. Paint the range fence posts white; problem solved.

There is no need for stakes if a local rule simply says that a ball beyond the fence is OOB.

 

[drdel]

There is no need for stakes if a local rule simply says that a ball beyond the fence is OOB.

Yes I agree. However it would make life easier and clear (especially for visitors) if a little white paint was deployed.

 

[drdel]

^^^ If the balls beyond the fence - the fence ain't working very well !

 

[Canfordhacker]

Are you at Dudsbury now? I have played Dorset open there and seen people take a penalty drop from against the fence.

Yes I am, and loving it.

So have I, which is partly why I am asking the question!!!

 

[Canfordhacker]

No designation on or near the fence or no designation on the card or a notice board?

Nope!

 

[rulefan]

The requirement is to define the margin. How well it works is another matter.

 

[Canfordhacker]

^^^ If the balls beyond the fence - the fence ain't working very well !

A big high slice with a driver off the first tee, and it's easily cleared. I think it's there to stop the range balls coming on the first fairway - but it's not 100% effective at that either.

I agree with others that white paint would help clarify. It's actually unclear too whether a ball wrapped up in the net at the bottom is OOB (ie three off the tee) or unplayable.And you can't tell till you get there if it's wrapped up, which leads to provisonals off the first tee, which is never helpful.

 

[duncan mackie]

A big high slice with a driver off the first tee, and it's easily cleared. I think it's there to stop the range balls coming on the first fairway - but it's not 100% effective at that either.

I agree with others that white paint would help clarify. It's actually unclear too whether a ball wrapped up in the net at the bottom is OOB (ie three off the tee) or unplayable.And you can't tell till you get there if it's wrapped up, which leads to provisonals off the first tee, which is never helpful.

A solution of putting white posts on the course side of the netting to both indicate visually and define OOB definitively, doesn't solve this either as you may not be able to tell if the balls OOB until you get there with this either.