Loose Impediment in a hazard....

[guest100718]

Yesterday my friend hit his ball in to a lateral water hazard, the ball stopped halfway down the bank and was playable. He made his way to the ball and there was a long thin stick laying on top of it. fair enough play it as it lies as you can't move LIs in a hazard, but as he took his stance he trod on the end of the stick which caused the end resting on the ball to lift off the ball.

His ball didn't move and the heavy rough made it impossible to see that the stick was as long as it was and that he would stand on it.

Is there any penalty to be had?

 

[duncan mackie]

no

he is permitted to fairly take his stance under 13-2 and this becomes the 'except as provided in the rules' under 13-4 for his causing the loose impediment to move.

note that this is not the same as an action under exception 1 to 13-4 so the potential for the improvement to the lie isn't relevant.

this takes the accidental nature of the situation as set out in the post.