NPR again

[hovis]

a cart path runs along side our 17th fairway. the fairway and green are to the right and oob almost immediately to the left. immediately after the oob stakes is a thick hedge marking the course boundary.

however, between the cart path and oob stakes is a 1ft strip of grass. if npr was taken the ball would be dropped on the strip of grass but the golfer would have to stand inside the hedge with no ability to make a swing. he'd also be standing oob tough luck? it was my argument that in this case npr isn't an option as it would be impossible to get inside the hedge and make a stance. my friend wanted to go fairway side of the path

 

[Lump]

If the NPR is in a bush, but still in bounds. That is where the ball must be dropped. You can stand OOB when taking the drop, but the ball must be in bounds.
The rules can be pretty harsh when it comes to NPR.

 

[hovis]

If the NPR is in a bush, but still in bounds. That is where the ball must be dropped. You can stand OOB when taking the drop, but the ball must be in bounds.
The rules can be pretty harsh when it comes to NPR.

the npr isn't in the bush it on a lovely piece of grass. the issue was my friend was adamant that he is entitled to make a stance. this isn't possible as the hedge is too thick to climb inside. he also said you should be able to make some sort of swing. i argued he was wrong and npr in this case is not possible. he said npr should always be possible.

i know he's wrong but trying to get information on stance and nrp other than straight forward cases isn't easy

i tried to tell him that npr could be in the middle of a massive oak tree but he thought i was having him on

 

[Lump]

Making a swing does not form part of the NPR rule. He would simply be taking the nearest point of relief (full relief so as not to stand on the thing he is taking relief from).
NPR does not always give you the best result.

 

[rulie]

This Decision will help; the highlighted part in particular:

[h=2]24-2b/3[/h] [h=4]Player Determines Nearest Point of Relief But Physically Unable to Play Intended Stroke[/h] Q. In proceeding under Rule 24-2b(i) or Rule 25-1b(i), the Definition of "Nearest Point of Relief" provides that to determine the nearest point of relief accurately, the player should use the club, address position, direction of play and swing (right or left-handed) that he would have used to make his next stroke had the obstruction or condition not been there. What is the procedure if, having determined the stroke he would have used, he is unable physically to make such a stroke from, what would appear to be, the nearest point of relief because either (a) the direction of play is blocked by a tree, or (b) he is unable to take the backswing for the intended stroke due to a bush?


A. The point identified is the nearest point of relief. The fact that at this point the player cannot make the intended stroke due to something other than the obstruction or condition from which relief is being taken does not alter this result. The player must drop the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole. Once the ball is in play, the player must then decide what type of stroke he will make. This stroke may be different from the one he would have made from the ball's original position had the obstruction or condition not been there.

 

[hovis]

This Decision will help; the highlighted part in particular:

[h=2]24-2b/3[/h] [h=4]Player Determines Nearest Point of Relief But Physically Unable to Play Intended Stroke[/h] Q. In proceeding under Rule 24-2b(i) or Rule 25-1b(i), the Definition of "Nearest Point of Relief" provides that to determine the nearest point of relief accurately, the player should use the club, address position, direction of play and swing (right or left-handed) that he would have used to make his next stroke had the obstruction or condition not been there. What is the procedure if, having determined the stroke he would have used, he is unable physically to make such a stroke from, what would appear to be, the nearest point of relief because either (a) the direction of play is blocked by a tree, or (b) he is unable to take the backswing for the intended stroke due to a bush?


A. The point identified is the nearest point of relief. The fact that at this point the player cannot make the intended stroke due to something other than the obstruction or condition from which relief is being taken does not alter this result. The player must drop the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole. Once the ball is in play, the player must then decide what type of stroke he will make. This stroke may be different from the one he would have made from the ball's original position had the obstruction or condition not been there.

just what I'm after. screen shot taken 😁

many thanks

 

[HawkeyeMS]

just what I'm after. screen shot taken 😁

many thanks

You might also want to point out that the N in NPR stands for NEAREST not NICEST.

 

[hovis]

You might also want to point out that the N in NPR stands for NEAREST not NICEST.

thats was actually the first thing i said. he was that certain he was right it did make me question myself

 

[duncan mackie]

just what I'm after. screen shot taken 😁

many thanks

You do realise the full implications of this?

He drops at his first npr. Now he (reasonably) elects to swing left handed, is standing on the cart path, and establishes his new npr - which based on everything you have written will now be on the other side...

He gets there in the 3nd but has to physically go through the steps.

 

[rulefan]

just what I'm after. screen shot taken 

many thanks

You'll find it here

http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-24,d24-2b-3

 

[HawkeyeMS]

You do realise the full implications of this?

He drops at his first npr. Now he (reasonably) elects to swing left handed, is standing on the cart path, and establishes his new npr - which based on everything you have written will now be on the other side...

He gets there in the 3nd but has to physically go through the steps.

Surely that would depend on how wide the path is. A cart path is quite wide so it is highly likely that the NPR will be further into the bush

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Surely that would depend on how wide the path is. A cart path is quite wide so it is highly likely that the NPR will be further into the bush

Except relief is now taken due for stance not ball. And whilst players NPR for his stance may be on the strip of grass he will be unable to drop his ball 'in bounds' - and so stance NPR will be the other side of the track (unless it was that side from the word go) I think ---

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Except relief is now taken due for stance not ball. And whilst players NPR for his stance may be on the strip of grass he will be unable to drop his ball 'in bounds' - and so stance NPR will be the other side of the track (unless it was that side from the word go) I think ---

That would again depend on how big the bush was. I understand that the NPR could be on the other side of the path but it might not be.

That said, having re-read the OP, is does sound like it would be in this instance

 

[CallawayKid]

We had this issue at my old club, we made a local rule that the strip of grass was considered part of the path.

CK

 

[rulefan]

Makes sense.