Relief

[USER1999]

Played last night, and had a bit of a discussion about nearest point of relief.

My partners ball missed the green, rolled down a bank, and onto some steps. Clearly he gets relief from the steps.

So, he can drop about 10 ft to the left or right, as the steps run parallel to the green. Or he can drop about 2 foot backwards off the steps, in line with the pin, which is the nearest point of relief as far as I can see.

Trouble is, this is into a bush.

Now he says that that isn't relief and wants to drop out 10 foot sideways to get a shot at the green. Where as to me, he gets relief from the steps, but not the bush, so he either plays it as it lies, or drops into the bush.

Am I being mean, or correct?

 

[Twire]

I think your correct.....you have to take the NEAREST point of relief where ever that is. His other option was to play it where it lies.

 

[Twire]

I was just thinking of a simular situation at my old club. On the 16th there's a buggy track that runs up the right hand side of the fairway, alongside some woods, you get relief if your on the track. Now if your ball stops on the left of the track, you get relif onto the fairway (nearest point) but if your ball stops on the right of the track, you have to drop into the woods (nearest point) You'd be supprised how many people wouldn't drop in the woods, and argue black and blue the didn't have to.

 

[Imurg]

Got a feeling you're right Murph.
Nearest point is nearest point not in a defined hazard?
Harsh but them's the rules!!

 

[Redwood]

Could he also call the ball unplayable, and take two club lengths from there? Not sure if that would then mean his two clubs lengths would leave him on the shorter grass?

Also, another question, if you took an unplayable ball, and dropped within two club lengths (obviously using driver to maximise your distance to reach the shorter grass) but the spot at which you had to drop was still on the steps, but you dropped in hope that it would roll, within two club lengths as permitted, onto the grass but it stayed on the steps, would you then have to play it as it lied, or could you still take relief from the steps then under no penalty, but already havingg racked up one penalty shot for the unplayable ball?

Quite a few permutations there I guess.

 

[USER1999]

He could take an unplayable, under a penalty shot, and go back into the bunker he had just played out of, but he really really wanted to get a free drop somewhere nice.

I won the hole anyway, and generously let him drop where he wanted, but in medal, he would have to play 2 balls, and get a ruling later.

Thing is, I really wanted to see him play out of the bush.

 

[Twire]

Could he also call the ball unplayable, and take two club lengths from there? Not sure if that would then mean his two clubs lengths would leave him on the shorter grass?

Also, another question, if you took an unplayable ball, and dropped within two club lengths (obviously using driver to maximise your distance to reach the shorter grass) but the spot at which you had to drop was still on the steps, but you dropped in hope that it would roll, within two club lengths as permitted, onto the grass but it stayed on the steps, would you then have to play it as it lied, or could you still take relief from the steps then under no penalty, but already havingg racked up one penalty shot for the unplayable ball?

Quite a few permutations there I guess.

You wouldn't take an unplayable from the steps...you'd take a free drop at your nearest point of relief, then take an unplayable under penalty.

 

[bobmac]

How big was the bush? Could he not drop behind it?

 

[USER1999]

For 'bush' read the start of Whipendell woods, so in line with the pin, the nearest clear drop is about a mile and a half away.
It was easier to use 'bush' than 'bundu'.

 

[Fyldewhite]

You are quite correct and this is IMO the single most mis-interpreted (mostly through ignorance) rule in the book. There is only one place that is the nearest point of relief, there is no choice until this is determined and it is the nearest point of relief from the condition not the condition + something else (like a bush). Once determined you have a clublength from that point not nearer the hole and that's it.

 

[freddielong]

I think the big thing here is that they are taking nearest point of releif from the steps not just nearest point of absolute releif, if that is into a bush then so be it, you could always play it as it lies.

Did anyone see Melissa Reid last night she had a similar situation where her ball was on a path, they actually messured to see where nearest point was, because there were bushes behind her so in the end she chose to play it from the path, and for the record almost held it.

And anyway she is hot, what was the question again ?

 

[slugger]

how wide were the steps? from what you're saying "10 ft to the left or right" that would make the steps around 20ft wide!!!! that's a wide step!

 

[USER1999]

The steps are normal width, but run parallel to the green, so you could move the ball in an arc for 5 feet, and still be on the steps, another 5 ft and you would still be standing on the steps. You need to drop a long way away to obtain relief. Or do the right thing, and drop in the bush.

 

[JustOne]

Without understanding what the scenario looks like... you get 1 clublength from the nearest point. It might be that the nearest point is in the bush but you still then get 1 clublength from there...which might bring you back out of the bush again if you drop right on the edge - or play it off the path

 

[backwoodsman]

The "10ft left or right" aren't options as they are not "nearer" than the 2ft back. So the 2ft back is right. You get 1 club-length from there. If you're then stuffed by a bush or anything else that's "not the steps" then tough - play it as it lies or use unplayable & take relief under penalty. See decision 24-2b/3