Putting question

[Del]

Hi
Was playing last night with a mate, and on the first green my ball was on the fringe and I wanted to putt. On my putting line was a sprinkler head so i marked and moved my ball.

Two holes later I was 15-20 foot short of the green but wanted to putt off the fairway (downhill and fast so no way of chipping) but once again in my way was a sprinkler head.
Now as I was not on the green or fringe could I have taken relief and moved my ball or do you have to be on the green to do this.

(as it was a knock about game I did move my ball and then 4 putted)

Cheers

Del

 

[scottbrown]

I think it depends on local rule. From memory I think our cards say relief only if within 2 club lengths of sprinkled. Further out no relief. I am sure somebody more knowledgeable will reply tho.

 

[RGDave]

To my understanding you MUST be on the green....but surely if you are on the green, the sprinkler won't come into play?
Therefore, most clubs have local rules which make a sprinkler head an immoveable obstruction if you are a certain distance away from the green (like under 2 club lengths for example) or it interferes with your stance etc.

If you short of the green, the answer is almost always NO.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We have it as a local rule - taken from the card " Sprinkler heads - Rules of Golf Appendix 1 Part B Para 5 applies." Not read it in t he rulebook but guessing that off the green if it interfers with the line of the shot (and not the stance) you can move it two club lengths not nearer the hole

 

[19th]

My first memory of Seve was at the 10th in St Andrews where he had driven the green length but was lying off the green at 10 o'clock.

As he had the sprinkler head in his line he asked and did not get, relief.

He then wandered into the triangler jungle behind the 10th, up to his knees in the rough and giving the Spanish verbals great licks, perhaps casting doubts about the referees parenthood.

Walked up to his ball, he took out this most lofted club to hit the ball from just off the green and the ball never lifted - it careered along the ground checking up all the time and came to rest right beside the pin.

An enormous roar from the crowd, a wave to his new fans and.....a new hero and shot was born.

From the foregoing I would suggest that it will depend how far you are away from the sprinkler head but the fact it is in your line, tough, like Seve you will maybe have to adapt your shot to suit!

 

[JustOne]

Hi
Was playing last night with a mate, and on the first green my ball was on the fringe and I wanted to putt. On my putting line was a sprinkler head so i marked and moved my ball.

As far as I'm aware you don't get any relief from a sprinkler head and definately not just because it's 'in your way'. If it affects your stance then you do, if you are on it then you do.

 

[Sneds]

Our local rules states:

For sprinkler heads on the apron of the green, relief may also be taken to interference to line of play.

 

[Del]

Thanks for the reply's, I will check out the our local rules tomorrow, as no card to hand.

I know you can take relief if its in line of your putt, but not to sure about further out, and after your reply's I'm thinking not.

Cheers

Del

 

[jammydodger]

It's definitely got to be in the local rules (this is why theyre worth checking for new courses). If theres nothing in there then obviously no free drop. They do usually state that within 2 clublengths of the green if it interferes with your line and you are within 2 clublengths of the head also then you get a free drop. GOT to be a local rule though.