Quick Rules Refresher

HomerJSimpson

HomerJSimpson

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OK before I go and hang my head in shame can someone remind me of the ruling regarding staked trees. If I hit my ball next to a staked tree which interferes with my legitimate stance and swing, can I claim relief. If so is it nearest point of relief (i.e where the tree no longer interferes with my swing) or one club length from the point where the tree is no longer inhibiting me.

Also if someone can give me the ruling in the rules of golf so I can put a post it sticker in there for easy reference
 
Homer
Only an ex-librarian could come to your aid on a Saturday night!
have consulted R&A website which has a full pdf version of the rules.
Staked trees don't seem to make an appearance as such, but are covered in Appendix 1 (p130) under local rules.
'“Protection of young trees identified by ______. If such a tree
interferes with a player’s stance or the area of his intended swing, the
ball must be lifted, without penalty, and dropped in accordance with
the procedure prescribed in Rule 24-2b (Immovable Obstruction)

rules 24 - 2b (Immovable obstrucion)
'If the ball lies through the green, the player
must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length
of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief.The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green.
When the ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spotthat avoids interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in
a hazard and not on a putting green.'

I'll leave the interpretation to you - you can't expect me to do all the work !
AliB
 
Generally they would be declared as an immovable obstruction and relief taken as per 24-2b, it would be One club length from nearest point of relief.

Check your local rules on the back of your scorecard.
 
AliB,

Being married to a librarian I often get the answer " I don't know the anwer to that, but, I do know where to find it!"
 
Thanks guys.

I knew I could get relief but assumed it was in the rules of golf itself and not a local rule. I'll double check tomorrow but I'm fairly certain we do get relief. I wasn't sure if it was just nearest point of relief or as it turns out within 1 club.

Thanks in particular to AliB for her detailed response
 
Provided that the club's local rules allow relief, the ball can be lifted and dropped within 1 club length of the nearest point of relief. It is surprising how many club golfers do not the meaning of this phrase "nearest point of relief".

Taking a scenario where the ball lies against a staked tree, un-moveable obstruction, or whatever. How many times have you seen the golfer stand with his back to the obstruction, take a practice swing, move away a bit until he has an unobstructed swing, then drop the ball? The nearest point of relief could well have been inches from where the ball originally lay. The "point of relief" is where the club head of the club that you intend to use for the shot can be grounded where relief from the obstruction can be gained. This point is then marked as is a point 1 club length away (this can be the driver but don't forget to remove the head cover). The ball is then dropped between the two marks and played from that spot providing that it does not roll more than 2 club lengths away or back to a point where the obstruction again interferes.

Another point to note is that free drops are within 1 club length and penalty drops within 2 club lengths (I believe)
 
Leftie maybe wrong re the Driver to measure. Please have a look at page 38 Rules of Golf quote:

Note. 'In order to determine the nearest point of relief accurately, the player should use the club with which he would have madehis next stroke if the condition were not there to simulate the addresss positiondirection of playand swing for such a stroke'
 
Leftie maybe wrong re the Driver to measure. Please have a look at page 38 Rules of Golf quote:

Note. 'In order to determine the nearest point of relief accurately, the player should use the club with which he would have madehis next stroke if the condition were not there to simulate the addresss positiondirection of playand swing for such a stroke'
Click to expand...

I believe that I may have paraphrased this rule as below. As far as I am aware, the rules only say that the ball must be dropped within 1 club length of the point of relief (the point where the club you intend to use is grounded), they do not state which club you use for the dropping area although I believe that a broomstick putter is not allowed.

""The "point of relief" is where the club head of the club that you intend to use for the shot can be grounded where relief from the obstruction can be gained. This point is then marked as is a point 1 club length away (this can be the driver but don't forget to remove the head cover).""
 
You can use the driver for measuring but not the drive if you are in the thick rough to 'determine' the point when id you were in the sh*t you would use a wedge to get out.
 
Leftie maybe wrong re the Driver to measure. Please have a look at page 38 Rules of Golf quote:

Note. 'In order to determine the nearest point of relief accurately, the player should use the club with which he would have madehis next stroke if the condition were not there to simulate the addresss positiondirection of playand swing for such a stroke'
Click to expand...

It says the player should use the club with which he would have made his next stroke, not he must use it. I think that's a vital difference. Using a driver to measure relief for a wedge shot might not win you any friends but I don't think it's actually against the rules.
 
I'll try to put this in words of (mostly)one syllable for those who still have difficulty understanding......

Use the club you want to use to make the next shot to find the nearest point of relief. Mark that spot and use any club in your bag to measure 1 club length not nearer the hole and mark that spot. The rules do not state if it has to be a wedge, 9 iron, 11 wood or driver. Just 1 club length.

Drop the ball between the 2 marks and play the bl**dy thing.
 
Muttleee is right.

The words used in the rules are important.

They are explained on page 17 of the rule book.

"May"means the action is optional.

"Should" means recommended but not mandatory.

"Must" means it is an instrution and there is a penalty if

not carried out.
 
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