Rules question, free drop

[louise_a]

While playing last week, one of my partners' ball landed on a path from which they were entitled a free drop. There was a tree betwen the ball and the green, quite close to the ball, by dropping back off the path, the tree was taken out of play, should the ball be dropped so that the tree is still in the way?

 

[Doh]

If that is the Nearest point of relief then yes. Just think if the path wasn't there would they get a drop from the tree? I am sure some of our rules people will be able to quote you the rule.

 

[fat-tiger]

paths are local rules aswell lousie there on back of scorecards some clubs there integraul parts of the course, we played fortrose and rossmarkie other week and theres a road that goes through the middle of course which is part of course, my ball was on it ,and had to play off it ,my wedge didnt go much on it though,

 

[louise_a]

yes the paths are free drop as per back of card, one club length from nearest point of relief, due to the proximatey of the green, one club length would take the tree out of the shot, hence my question, should the tree be kept in the shot?

 

[bobmac]

yes the paths are free drop as per back of card, one club length from nearest point of relief, due to the proximatey of the green, one club length would take the tree out of the shot, hence my question, should the tree be kept in the shot?

No.
If the free drop gives you a clear shot...happy days.
Enjoy it as there will be times when a drop will put you behind a tree.

 

[MashieNiblick]

A free drop from a path will generally be because it is deemed to be an immovable obstruction so Rule 24-2 appplies.

You can drop within one club length of the nearest point of relief from the obstruction, i.e. where the obstruction doesn't interfere with your lie, stance or swing. This is very specifically defined and when it comes to paths may depend on which side of the path the ball is lying on. It also means that if it is in the rough or behind a tree or against a boundary wall that's tough luck. Equally if it means you drop in a place where you get a clear line to the green when you didn't before that's your good luck (see decisions 24-2b/7 Relief from Obstruction Interfering with Swing Incidentally Gives Relief from Intervention on Line of Play and 24-2b/6 Relief from Immovable Obstruction Incidentally Results in Relief from Boundary Fence).

Swings and roundabouts of the rules but it is why you must strictly apply the nearest point of relief bit. Usually there is only one such point and you take your medicine or enjoy your lucky break as dictated by that.

Have a look at the decisions on some scenarios for the relevent Rule here

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-A...cisionId=6065530E-2C11-4750-A987-B82409ECB452

As discussed elsewhere when you drop your ball it can roll another 2 club lengths but no need to go into that here .

 

[bladeplayer]

Nearsest point of relief should be taken Louise , the tree is irrelevant .. if its clear of the tree great , if the nearset point of relief actualy puts ya behind a tree that previously was not in your line , tough .. the relief is for the path the tree is nothing to do with it ..

I believe it is a common misunderstanding...................& wait for it now someone will show a rule that im wrong ha .. but as far as i know this is correct


Mashie & Bob answered as i was typing ..

 

[fat-tiger]

look at g mac yesterday louise on 16th i think, in the bushes behind scoreboard, using the rules to his advantage as his ball was completely dead, but in no way breaking em,

 

[rosecott]

What has to be remembered is that the "nearest point of relief" is just that - the nearest point which should be measured quite carefully. How many times have you seen the guy who says "that's pretty near" and it happens, purely by chance, to take something like the unwelcome tree out of the equation for the next shot.

 

[3offTheTee]

QUOTE=MashieNiblick;584712]A free drop from a path will generally be because it is deemed to be an immovable obstruction so Rule 24-2 appplies.


As discussed elsewhere when you drop your ball it can roll another 2 club lengths but no need to go into that here .[/QUOTE]

Mashie I know how hot you are on Rules but I thought and I am more than happy to be corrected that if there was only one club lemgth for relief as opposed to 2 for a penalty the ball could only move within one club length. Sure you will find the relevant rule!

 

[duncan mackie]

QUOTE=MashieNiblick;584712]A free drop from a path will generally be because it is deemed to be an immovable obstruction so Rule 24-2 appplies.


As discussed elsewhere when you drop your ball it can roll another 2 club lengths but no need to go into that here .

Mashie I know how hot you are on Rules but I thought and I am more than happy to be corrected that if there was only one club lemgth for relief as opposed to 2 for a penalty the ball could only move within one club length. Sure you will find the relevant rule![/QUOTE]

the relevant rule (20) deals with all cases of dropping and re-dropping under section 20-2, specifically 20-2 c (vi) regarding rolling more than 2 clubs lengths from where it first hits the course.

this thread highlights the why people should get into the habit, under 2 situations, of clearly establishing the relevant reference point. With water hazards it's the point the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard, and with relief situations such as obstructions and GUR it's the nearest point of relief. From there you apply your options, in this case the ball must first strike a part of the course within 1 club length of that point, not nearer the hole, not in a hazard, not on a green etc In the case of relief options this point may not be a very nice place at all, and there may not be anywhere within a club length of this point that is a nice place - so it's best to sort all this out before picking up the ball on the path!

Strangely in this world of swings and roundabouts, many players will simply ignore such situations and NPR becomes NNicePR.

I recently had a situation where a player was delighted to establish that his tee shot, 60 yd left of the fairway in amongst trees etc was in an area of casual water. He became less happy when he couldn't drop in any of the lovely grassy clearings because his NPR was in the middle of a very large bramble bush. Unplayable and going back in line was horrible, and it would need 3 x 2CL unplayable to get to one of the clearings so it was a return to the tee. Inevitably (1) he had played a provisional and it was in the centre of the fairway miles down.....(2) he carved his 3 off the tee into the trees again.........

Sometimes the people who know the rules seem to get away with murder, other times they end up with a large score!

 

[MadAdey]

I think it is just "the rub of the green". Sometimes you get bad luck in this game other times you get good luck. I have played from places that I could take a free relief from before as the closest point of relief has put me in a worse place.

 

[MashieNiblick]

QUOTE=MashieNiblick;584712]A free drop from a path will generally be because it is deemed to be an immovable obstruction so Rule 24-2 appplies.


As discussed elsewhere when you drop your ball it can roll another 2 club lengths but no need to go into that here .

Mashie I know how hot you are on Rules but I thought and I am more than happy to be corrected that if there was only one club lemgth for relief as opposed to 2 for a penalty the ball could only move within one club length. Sure you will find the relevant rule!

No probs. Duncan has answered this but just for clarity, whether the distance you are allowed to drop initially is 1 or 2 club lengths, the distance it is then allowed to roll after striking the course is 2 - Rule 20-2(c) vi.

Thing is the Rules can be confusing even when you look them up so always best to query and check if you are not sure, or think someone has got it wrong, whether on the course or on here. I have made my share of boo-boos in my time and am always happy to be challenged or corrected.

 

[williamalex1]

is it not the nearest point of relief -and then 1 club length,, if its a free drop . or nearest point of relief and 2 club length if a penalty is taken. both not nearer the hole ,the tree is irrevelant i think

 

[Region3]

is it not the nearest point of relief -and then 1 club length,, if its a free drop . or nearest point of relief and 2 club length if a penalty is taken. both not nearer the hole ,the tree is irrevelant i think

Correct for the free drop, but for a penalty drop it's just 2 club lengths from the ball (unless it's in a lateral water hazard then it's from the margin of the hazard) regardless of whether or not that gets you clear of the trouble.

 

[williamalex1]

thanks i didn't know that

 

[rosecott]

is it not the nearest point of relief -and then 1 club length,, if its a free drop . or nearest point of relief and 2 club length if a penalty is taken. both not nearer the hole ,the tree is irrevelant i think

The nearest point of relief does not apply to a penalty drop. It's 2 clublengths from where the ball lies or one of the other 2 options - stroke and distance or back as far as you like on flag-to-ball line.

 

[williamalex1]

is the following situation within the rules of a free drop. a right handed player pulls his tee shot left to within 2 inches from oob fence,he can' get in to play right handed , so he says he has to play the shot left handed , and after taking left handed practice swing, says that a staked and tagged small tree is interfering with his swing, which it was. he proceedes to drop nearest point then 1 club length , now the best bit he plays his normal right handed shot to within 2 feet. this was a plus 2 guy . who was tossed out a couple of years later for other offences. but was he right on that occasion

 

[Region3]

As long as it was reasonable for him to play the shot left handed, then yes I think it's ok provided the nearest point of relief was determined properly. Just his good luck that he could then play a normal shot after the drop.

 

[williamalex1]

he said the rules are there to help you if you know them . but i had a doubt about the spirit in which he played