Rule 13 query

[USER1999]

So my ball is under some trees.

Under rule 13, I'm not allowed to improve my line of play, by bending, breaking etc any part of the tree.

I can see that if I take a stance, address the ball, and then practice swing, then I could be improving the line by breaking stuff.
But if I am say 6" away from the ball, then this is not my line of play, I have no intention of improving my line of play, so can I knock off a few leaves with impunity?

If not, how far away do I need to be before I can wave a club about without worrying about hitting the tree?

Not got the decisions book, but this looks far from clear to me.

 

[Yerman]

Not allowed to break branches or knock off leaves when taking a practice swing or indeed when taking your stance such as backing in to a bush. Have to be far enough away not to break stuff.

 

[daymond]

TIMBeeeeeeeR!!

 

[bobmac]

You can knock off leaves as long as it doesn't affect or improve your intended swing path

 

[Yerman]

You can knock off leaves as long as it doesn't affect or improve your intended swing path

I'd believe him ^^ -unless he's selling you something

 

[Region3]

You can knock off leaves as long as it doesn't affect or improve your intended swing path

Someone tried to give me penalty shots for that last summer.

I knocked 1, maybe 2 tiny leaves off a branch that must have been 1/2" thick.

I tried to ask him how the hell it improved my backswing but some people only read the words and must've had the common sense smacked out of them at birth.

Back to the original question, I can't see how you can be penalised for breaking something that isn't interfering with your stance, swing, or line, provided your not in a hazard or deemed to be improving it for a playing partner?

 

[HawkeyeMS]

You can knock off leaves as long as it doesn't affect or improve your intended swing path

I'd believe him ^^ -unless he's selling you something

Good, cause he's right

 

[Fyldewhite]

You can knock off leaves as long as it doesn't affect or improve your intended swing path

I'd believe him ^^ -unless he's selling you something

Good, cause he's right

Second that. It is a much misinterpreted rule. There is a lengthy explanation somewhere in the decisions but basically you can be penalised for knocking off a single leaf in some circumstances, say there is only a couple of leaves that you could touch on your backswing and you knock one of them off with your practice swing. If you are in front of or under a lot of shrubbery though, knocking off a single leaf or even quite a few doesn't actually improve things so is OK. Can be contencious out on the course though so best to be absolutely sure you are not improving your intended swing before doing this.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The simple answer is don't shank it there in the first place Murph then it doesn't become an issue. Alternatively do as I do and hit it so wide it either misses everything anyway and you are playing from another hole or you never see it again

 

[USER1999]

I was in a 4 ball, and we were discussing this. I was the only one who thought there wasn't a penalty, but all the other 3 were adamant that in a comp they would pull the offender, and ping them the penalty.

That rule needs to be better explained in the rule book, as no one I know carries, or has even read the decisions book.

 

[viscount17]

It's in decisions 13-2/22 <u>but</u> it calls for a subjective judgment as to whether the intended line of swing is or is not improved by the loss of one or a few leaves so the decision could itself require a decision.