Relief from boundary wall?

[Backache]

I was on my own so no practical importance. But we have a stone boundary wall at the edge of one of our greens. I mishit my tee shot and discovered that my ball had come to rest on the stones of the wall at point where the wall had partially collapsed and the stones were lying a couple of feet inside it's normal line.
What would the ruling have been if I was playing competition? Would I have been out of bounds as all of the ball was on the stone although the stone would normally have been in bounds. If not would I have been entitled to relief from a man made object or would I have had to take relief for an unplayable ball?

 

[rulefan]

A stone that is separated from the wall is now a Movable Obstruction if it is readily movable.

There used to be a Decision about this but it has been removed. But the effect is still the same according the the Mapping Summary.

 

[salfordlad]

A stone that is separated from the wall is now a Movable Obstruction if it is readily movable.

There used to be a Decision about this but it has been removed. But the effect is still the same according the the Mapping Summary.

A little care is required here. That separated stone might be a loose impediment rather than a movable obstruction - depends on whether the wall is just piled up natural rock or if the stone is "processed" in some way that transforms it into an obstruction. This distinction has implications for the relief options.

 

[rulefan]

The original Decision says

A little care is required here. That separated stone might be a loose impediment rather than a movable obstruction - depends on whether the wall is just piled up natural rock or if the stone is "processed" in some way that transforms it into an obstruction. This distinction has implications for the relief options.

Indeed. The Decision relates to a part of an immovable obstruction; so the part which is broken away is a movable obstruction. The mapping summary indicates there is no change. But a boundary wall is not an immoveable obstruction.

 

[Colin L]

A little care is required here. That separated stone might be a loose impediment rather than a movable obstruction - depends on whether the wall is just piled up natural rock or if the stone is "processed" in some way that transforms it into an obstruction. This distinction has implications for the relief options.

That's a point I will remember. There are many dry stone dykes around my part of the world which are built from stones in their natural shapes.

 

[Colin L]

And as a further thought on those dykes, many of them will be defined as integral objects but as with boundary walls, stones that have fallen off them would be loose impediments. You would just have to hope there was a big enough gallery to help you shift them.

 

[salfordlad]

And as a further thought on those dykes, many of them will be defined as integral objects but as with boundary walls, stones that have fallen off them would be loose impediments. You would just have to hope there was a big enough gallery to help you shift them.

At least you are not playing in Japan where the ground shakes all the time.....

 

[Colin L]

At least you are not playing in Japan where the ground shakes all the time.....

It's a long long time since the earth moved for me.

 

[salfordlad]

It's a long long time since the earth moved for me.

Understand, diverse reasons take people to the golf course.....

 

[Backache]

And as a further thought on those dykes, many of them will be defined as integral objects but as with boundary walls, stones that have fallen off them would be loose impediments. You would just have to hope there was a big enough gallery to help you shift them.

Interesting it was dry stone without mortar though the stones used look like they have been at least partially shaped. If it was a loose impediment I would have had to take penalty as the ball was sitting on top of it with another bit behind it.
Not too much of a gallery to witness my feeble golf.

 

[salfordlad]

Interesting it was dry stone without mortar though the stones used look like they have been at least partially shaped. If it was a loose impediment I would have had to take penalty as the ball was sitting on top of it with another bit behind it.
Not too much of a gallery to witness my feeble golf.

This highlights a different issue for clubs with dry natural stone walls - the Committee should be ensuring, via course maintenance processes (perhaps with member assistance), that the risk you identify is managed - dry stones separated from the wall need to be replaced.