Nearest point of relief question

[Oxfordcomma]

Quick question after reading rule 24-2. Am I right in thinking that after you take relief from an immovable obstruction and drop the ball, it doesn't matter where the ball ends up (as long as it strikes the ground within 1 club length of the nearest point)?

Had this in a bounce game last week, my ball was on a path so relief under a local rule, but there's a severe slope on the side I was on so any drop would probably have ended up several yards away on a tee area. None of us were sure on the correct drop so with nothing riding on the game I just went back in line. Reading the rule I think I should have dropped it on the slope and crossed my fingers that the ball made it to the flat bit? No condition for the ball to remain within a certain distance from the drop?

 

[clubchamp98]

Quick question after reading rule 24-2. Am I right in thinking that after you take relief from an immovable obstruction and drop the ball, it doesn't matter where the ball ends up (as long as it strikes the ground within 1 club length of the nearest point)?

Had this in a bounce game last week, my ball was on a path so relief under a local rule, but there's a severe slope on the side I was on so any drop would probably have ended up several yards away on a tee area. None of us were sure on the correct drop so with nothing riding on the game I just went back in line. Reading the rule I think I should have dropped it on the slope and crossed my fingers that the ball made it to the flat bit? No condition for the ball to remain within a certain distance from the drop?

when you have determined and marked the nearest point of relief you drop your ball ,it must come to a halt within two club lengths .

If it rolls more than two club lengths it must be redropped, if it rolls more than two club lengths again it must be placed where the ball struck the ground.

if this is on a slope it's just bad luck.

so when taking relief just be careful before you pick up your ball look where you will be dropping as it might be better to just play it sometimes.

 

[Oxfordcomma]

That was the discussion that we had. It's a short, but very steep slope. The ball certainly wouldn't have stayed within 2 club lengths with a drop and we didn't see how we could it could be placed either within 1 club length so that it would stay put. So if you place and then it rolls, do you play it as it lies afterwards?

 

[Oxfordcomma]

Ah, should I have read on a page? 20-3 d(i), if it won't stay where you put it then put at the nearest point where it will actually sit still?

 

[Hosel Fade]

Quick question after reading rule 24-2. Am I right in thinking that after you take relief from an immovable obstruction and drop the ball, it doesn't matter where the ball ends up (as long as it strikes the ground within 1 club length of the nearest point)?

Had this in a bounce game last week, my ball was on a path so relief under a local rule, but there's a severe slope on the side I was on so any drop would probably have ended up several yards away on a tee area. None of us were sure on the correct drop so with nothing riding on the game I just went back in line. Reading the rule I think I should have dropped it on the slope and crossed my fingers that the ball made it to the flat bit? No condition for the ball to remain within a certain distance from the drop?

Have a read of Rule 20, Dropping and Re-Dropping, it should all be in there. Basically it needs to strike the course within a clublength of your NPR and then not roll outside of 2 clublengths from where it strikes the course. If it goes anywhere not acceptable (back into the same condition ie. the path, closer to hole, or more than 2 clublengths from where it strikes and a bunch of others that probably don't apply to your example) you have to drop again. If it happens a second time you have to place it as near as possible to where it struck the ground on the second drop.

You see pros milking this all the time in events, dropping it on a slope intentionally so that they get to place it. Just have a good read of that as I am bound to have missed some details out

 

[Hosel Fade]

That was the discussion that we had. It's a short, but very steep slope. The ball certainly wouldn't have stayed within 2 club lengths with a drop and we didn't see how we could it could be placed either within 1 club length so that it would stay put. So if you place and then it rolls, do you play it as it lies afterwards?

The clublength doesn't matter during the placing stage, its just placing it as near as possible to where it struck the ground on the re-drop (which could conceivably be a lot further than a clublength away). If it moves after it came to rest its the same as the ball moving during any other time, the ball was in play so therefore play it as it lies from the new position.

 

[Oxfordcomma]

The clublength doesn't matter during the placing stage, its just placing it as near as possible to where it struck the ground on the re-drop (which could conceivably be a lot further than a clublength away). If it moves after it came to rest its the same as the ball moving during any other time, the ball was in play so therefore play it as it lies from the new position.

When you're re-dropping though, surely it's got to be the same rule, ie within one club length? And then you have to place at the same spot it strikes the course during the re-drop?

In my example, I might have been able to get it to sit on a clump of grass, in which case I'm playing a ball which is shoulder height. (At this point the walk of shame followed by 3 off the tee is starting to look like it would have been the better call .) But if I can't, and it rolls down (twice), do I not then place it at the nearest spot where I think it will sit still?

 

[rulie]

When you're re-dropping though, surely it's got to be the same rule, ie within one club length? And then you have to place at the same spot it strikes the course during the re-drop?

In my example, I might have been able to get it to sit on a clump of grass, in which case I'm playing a ball which is shoulder height. (At this point the walk of shame followed by 3 off the tee is starting to look like it would have been the better call .) But if I can't, and it rolls down (twice), do I not then place it at the nearest spot where I think it will sit still?

Hosel Fade posted the correct procedure..

If it goes anywhere not acceptable (back into the same condition ie. the path, closer to hole, or more than 2 clublengths from where it strikes and a bunch of others that probably don't apply to your example) you have to drop again. If it happens a second time you have to place it as near as possible to where it struck the ground on the second drop.

So you don't get to place it where you think it will sit still. You place it at the spot where it struck the ground on the second drop. If it will not come to rest on that spot, then you find the nearest spot to where it struck the ground on the second drop, no nearer the hole, where it will come to rest.

 

[Hosel Fade]

When you're re-dropping though, surely it's got to be the same rule, ie within one club length? And then you have to place at the same spot it strikes the course during the re-drop?

In my example, I might have been able to get it to sit on a clump of grass, in which case I'm playing a ball which is shoulder height. (At this point the walk of shame followed by 3 off the tee is starting to look like it would have been the better call .) But if I can't, and it rolls down (twice), do I not then place it at the nearest spot where I think it will sit still?

Yep with the minor correction that its not where you think it will but where it factually will stay still, just hope that spot doesn't end up being the clump

Why 3 off the tee? its only a silly path, just tactically thin it 50 yards in the right direction

 

[clubchamp98]

When you're re-dropping though, surely it's got to be the same rule, ie within one club length? And then you have to place at the same spot it strikes the course during the re-drop?

In my example, I might have been able to get it to sit on a clump of grass, in which case I'm playing a ball which is shoulder height. (At this point the walk of shame followed by 3 off the tee is starting to look like it would have been the better call .) But if I can't, and it rolls down (twice), do I not then place it at the nearest spot where I think it will sit still?

yes this is right . redrop within original club length.

its not where you think it will stay it is where it will stay.

This is why i said before you pick it up look at your options .

if you declare it unplayable you can go back in a straight line with a penalty shot so playing three but you then don't have to walk back to the tee.

 

[Oxfordcomma]

Reading our local rule on paths, it says "Shall take relief" which I had read as "must take relief", so ruling out the option of back in line? But you're right Clubchamp, I can declare unplayable anywhere (dry) on the course, can't I.

So free relief puts me into the placing/dropping debate, and to be honest there's always going to be a clump of grass isn't there, no matter how much I want it to roll down. If I'm lucky that clump is at knee height rather than shoulder height. But at the cost of a shot I could still declare it unplayable (and then do what I actually did in the bounce game and go back in line with the flag).

Of course, I could always try not to hook my tee shot, which would render the entire question irrelevant.

Cheers everyone!

 

[rulefan]

Reminder. Never lift your ball before you have determined the possible outcome. If you decide you would be better off playing it as it lies, you can't change your mind and put the ball back without incurring a penalty.

 

[clubchamp98]

Reading our local rule on paths, it says "Shall take relief" which I had read as "must take relief", so ruling out the option of back in line? But you're right Clubchamp, I can declare unplayable anywhere (dry) on the course, can't I.

So free relief puts me into the placing/dropping debate, and to be honest there's always going to be a clump of grass isn't there, no matter how much I want it to roll down. If I'm lucky that clump is at knee height rather than shoulder height. But at the cost of a shot I could still declare it unplayable (and then do what I actually did in the bounce game and go back in line with the flag).

Of course, I could always try not to hook my tee shot, which would render the entire question irrelevant.

Cheers everyone!

You can take your free drop as stated .
If you don't like the outcome of the drop you can then still declare it unplayable with a one shot penalty and you then have your options.
Two club lengths then roll another two this might get you on level ground or straight back in line.


Just always weigh up your options before lifting your ball.

 

[lukeysafc100]

only as long as the ball doesn't go back to where the obstruction is or closer to the hole - drop and hope my friend.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Quick question after reading rule 24-2. Am I right in thinking that after you take relief from an immovable obstruction and drop the ball, it doesn't matter where the ball ends up (as long as it strikes the ground within 1 club length of the nearest point)?

Had this in a bounce game last week, my ball was on a path so relief under a local rule, but there's a severe slope on the side I was on so any drop would probably have ended up several yards away on a tee area. None of us were sure on the correct drop so with nothing riding on the game I just went back in line. Reading the rule I think I should have dropped it on the slope and crossed my fingers that the ball made it to the flat bit? No condition for the ball to remain within a certain distance from the drop?

I think your question has been answered but it is probably worth mentioning, since many people seem to "forget", but the NPR is the Nearest point of relief, not the nicest point of relief. Before you pick up your ball, make sure you assess where the NPR is because there is almost always only one NPR and that could be in thick rough or a bush (amongst other things). If that is the case, you are probably better playing from the path. You can only do that however if you haven't yet picked up your ball, once you have done that, there is no going back. Also remember, you have to take full relief from the path. i.e. if you decide to take relief from the path, then you can't be standing on or touching the path in any way when you play your next shot.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

What if the ground is a bare slope, but just beyond two club lengths there is a root sticking out of the ground that you can place your ball against and it won't roll down hill. And there is nowhere closer to place it where it won't move. Must you place you ball against the root. Can't see why you wouldn't have to. Same scenario could find you placing your ball under a bush or in deep rough.

 

[rulefan]

What if the ground is a bare slope, but just beyond two club lengths there is a root sticking out of the ground that you can place your ball against and it won't roll down hill. And there is nowhere closer to place it where it won't move. Must you place you ball against the root. Can't see why you wouldn't have to. Same scenario could find you placing your ball under a bush or in deep rough.

If, after doing all the required dropping and ineffective attempt to place, the nearest place the ball will stay at rest is rather nasty, that is where you must place it. You can't pick and choose.
If you are faced with such an outcome, place it and take an unplayable. If the original position is better, put it back and play it from there with a penalty.

As said a few times previously, before you lift your ball, consider the potential outcomes carefully. But don't take too long