Marker Posts - relief?

[TerryA]

On a number of courses a large black and white pole stuck in the centre of the fairway is there as an indication as to what line your shot needs to take.
However, if you ball comes to rest near this pole or it is on your line of sight are you allowed to remove said pole before you play your shot?

We have one of these on our 17th to help you drive the correct line. Quite often players balls come to rest before the pole but it is then in the way for the next shot. My playing partner today said that it could not be removed as it is an integral part of the course. I maintained that it was a removable obstruction similar to a red or yellow stake and could be removed. Who was correct?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

On a number of courses a large black and white pole stuck in the centre of the fairway is there as an indication as to what line your shot needs to take.
However, if you ball comes to rest near this pole or it is on your line of sight are you allowed to remove said pole before you play your shot?

We have one of these on our 17th to help you drive the correct line. Quite often players balls come to rest before the pole but it is then in the way for the next shot. My playing partner today said that it could not be removed as it is an integral part of the course. I maintained that it was a removable obstruction similar to a red or yellow stake and could be removed. Who was correct?

I'm thinking that if the post is defined on the card as an Integral Object then no relief; if as an Immovable Obstruction (16.1) then relief - otherwise a Movable Obstruction (15.2). Rules XPRTs will correct/clarify.

 

[Backache]

As far as I'm aware unless an object is a boundary object or it is defined as an integral part of the course it is an obstruction.

 

[rulefan]

On a number of courses a large black and white pole stuck in the centre of the fairway is there as an indication as to what line your shot needs to take.
However, if you ball comes to rest near this pole or it is on your line of sight are you allowed to remove said pole before you play your shot?

We have one of these on our 17th to help you drive the correct line. Quite often players balls come to rest before the pole but it is then in the way for the next shot. My playing partner today said that it could not be removed as it is an integral part of the course. I maintained that it was a removable obstruction similar to a red or yellow stake and could be removed. Who was correct?

Both or neither.
It could only be an Integral Object if there is a local rule saying so.
It would be a Movable Obstruction if it was located in a socket in the ground or otherwise readily movable.
Otherwise it would be an Immovable Obstruction from which free relief would be available except for line of play or line of sight.

 

[Swango1980]

I don't see what a Committee would define an alignment post as integral, unless they feel a player deserves to be punished by being against it or just behind it (despite presumably being in the middle of the fairway). Assuming it can be moved, it'll be a movable obstruction unless I'm missing something very unusual.

 

[jim8flog]

You have to read the local rules to be sure what to do.

Clubs can declare moveable obstructions as immovable obstructions if they so wish. There was time when we had this as local rule for a similar post on our course.

F-18 Treating Movable Objects to Be Immovable

Purpose. The Committee can choose to treat certain movable objects on the course, such as all stakes (other than boundary stakes), bins and direction poles, to be immovable .............

 

[berniethebolt]

An immovable obstruction now comes under abnormal course conditions but as I understand it there is only relief of it interferes with stance or swing. If you are directly behind a marker post that cannot be moved but outside the area for relief then I suppose that is rub of the green.

 

[rulefan]

An immovable obstruction now comes under abnormal course conditions but as I understand it there is only relief of it interferes with stance or swing. If you are directly behind a marker post that cannot be moved but outside the area for relief then I suppose that is rub of the green.

That is what the last line of #4 says in effect.
Incidentally, rub of the green is no longer defined in the rules of golf. Previously what wrote would not have been the case but now ....?

 

[berniethebolt]

Yes sorry missed the line on #4. We had such marker posts for years but there were so many complaints about hitting the ball straight down the middle and having a ***** post in front of you that they were removed!

 

[rulefan]

It was probably the post that enabled them to hit down the middle. No doubt the're all in the rough now.