Tree Root

[apj0524]

Had a situation today play in our medal, one of my playing partners ball ended at the base of a tree, he had a swing but is stance was along a exposed root that was high and big enough that he would be almost balancing on his feet to hit the shot.

He ask if he could have a free drop, but both myself and our other playing partner said you couldn't as it had to be played as it lies, he argued that Phil Mickleson got a drop in a PGA event because his stance was against a sprinkler head, which we said was different as the sprinkler head as not part of the course.

He accepted this but it got me wondering, were we right to refuse a free drop?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Yes you were right to not allow him a free drop

 

[rulefan]

A sprinkler head is an Immovable Obstruction, from which free relief is available under Rule 24-2.
However a tree root is simply part of the course, so no free relief is available. But if the player's ball was so close to the root that the player was reluctant to play it, he could have taken relief for an unplayable ball with a 1 stroke penalty under rule 28.

 

[mikejohnchapman]

No free drop I'm afraid.

Remember Sergio having to play from the roots of a tree in the US Open - hit the ball and ran up the hill to see where it went.