Rabbit Hole

[Deleted member 16999]

One of team players hit a wayward drive in to the edge of trees lining the fairway, when we found his ball is was down a rabbit hole/scrape, lying on top of a twig, the Referee was called over and agreed it was a rabbit hole, but denied relief as the ball was lying on a twig and not directly on the soil and stated that was an exception to the rule.
Can anyone clarify the exception please.

 

[rulie]

No. I don't know of such an exception.

 

[Colin L]

A loose impediment does not form part of the lie. The ball is in the animal hole. In any case, the ball doesn't have to be in the hole for relief to be available - it is enough that the hole physically interferes with the player's area of intended swing. The referee was mistaken.

 

[KenL]

Or perhaps the referee was at it!

 

[clubchamp98]

Or perhaps the referee was at it!

Refs are not always right
Was he a proper qualified one or just a member filling in.
It pays to know the rules or at least the basic ones.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Refs are not always right
Was he a proper qualified one or just a member filling in.
It pays to know the rules or at least the basic ones.

County Rules Official who , apparently, has officiated at a lot higher level.

 

[duncan mackie]

County Rules Official who , apparently, has officiated at a lot higher level.

Shame.

He/she was probably getting confused by the initial bullet defining interference....which does start "the players ball touches....an abnormal ground condition".

However, the bit in the middle covers "or is in, or on," and a second alternative bullet includes interference to stroke or stance - As Colin was highlighting earlier.

As presented it sounds like a very duff ruling

 

[Old Skier]

County Rules Official who , apparently, has officiated at a lot higher level.

Another area where it would be good to see some new a younger folk get involved.

 

[Colin L]

Or perhaps the referee was at it!

Not appropriate. Let's just stick to what this appears to be - a mistake.

 

[KenL]

Not appropriate. Let's just stick to what this appears to be - a mistake.

Not appropriate! It is possible there was some bias. I'm no rules expert but that ruling seems very odd indeed.

 

[Colin L]

I'm giving up until Godzilla, King of the Monsters, is exterminated.