Waymarker obstruction.

[Wildboy370]

Last week my PP had his drive come up next to a way marker for a footpath that crosses the course. This impeded his swing and line to the green. The marker was stuck solid in the ground, they are about 6ft high. I said he should be able to get relief as nit an integral part of course. The other pair disagreed and said you cannot move markers etc, which I agreed for penalty areas but not a foot path one.
so who was right and should he of got relief ? And no there is no local filling on the scorecard or anywhere.

 

[SammmeBee]

Immovable obstruction……free relief

 

[Colin L]

Unless there is a local rule defining the marker as an integral object, you may take relief from it if it interferes with your stance or the area of the swing you would be making. [Rule 16] You would not, however, get relief from intervention on your line of play.

You can move a movable obstruction like a marker in a penalty area, but you do not get relief from an obstruction that you are unable to move if your ball is in a penalty area.

 

[jim8flog]

Last week my PP had his drive come up next to a way marker for a footpath that crosses the course. This impeded his swing and line to the green. The marker was stuck solid in the ground, they are about 6ft high. I said he should be able to get relief as nit an integral part of course. The other pair disagreed and said you cannot move markers etc, which I agreed for penalty areas but not a foot path one.
so who was right and should he of got relief ? And no there is no local filling on the scorecard or anywhere.

Where there is nothing on the card all obstructions are treated as per Rule 16. It is only when there is something on the card (or in a local rules book) that you treat them differently.
Knowing what does and what does not constitute an obstruction can save you many a shot.

 

[IslaG]

But you do not get free relief from objects that define or mark the course boundary. So you can move a red or yellow stake marking a penalty area if it interfers with your swing or stance but not a white OB post

 

[Colin L]

But you do not get free relief from objects that define or mark the course boundary. So you can move a red or yellow stake marking a penalty area if it interfers with your swing or stance but not a white OB post

Which is neatly covered in the Rules by the statement that boundary objects are not obstructions. Clever Trevors these rule-makers.

 

[jim8flog]

But you do not get free relief from objects that define or mark the course boundary. So you can move a red or yellow stake marking a penalty area if it interfers with your swing or stance but not a white OB post

posts etc used to defined the boundary of the course are not obstructions

From the definitions

Obstruction
Any artificial object except for integral objects and boundary objects.