Westwood's Non-Free Drop

[User20204]

As to posts #22 & 24 - you aren't entitled to free relief if "..."

To date I haven't played a single game where there was a referee present, only PP's so upon finding my ball in said scrapings, I'd have asked my PP's if I was entitled to a drop, if they said I was, I'd have taken one.

 

[Tashyboy]

100k for a new Ferrari, maybe a few years ago. Even a new Portofinio not the best in range starts at 164k. A decent Ferrari tour talking over 200k for entry level model.

Plus where would you put the clubs, trolley etc.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Imagine if he’d been challenging...

He was 🙄

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Pennies to him.

Wouldn’t have been just about then money - ranking points , entry into next years Open and also the Masters at stake

 

[clubchamp98]

Plus where would you put the clubs, trolley etc.

Your caddy brings them obviously.

 

[chrisd]

In this instance yes you're right but there will be other occasions where its favourable and in that circumstances a player would be silly not to take it. Just my opinion.

If the drop is allowed under the rule I'd happily agree.

 

[Tashyboy]

Your caddy brings them obviously.

😂😂

 

[robinthehood]

To date I haven't played a single game where there was a referee present, only PP's so upon finding my ball in said scrapings, I'd have asked my PP's if I was entitled to a drop, if they said I was, I'd have taken one.

It's not up to your pp, it's down to you and taking a drop on the basis of some one else who may or may not be aware of this specific rule is not the way to go.
Learn it for yourself and make the call.

 

[User20204]

It's not up to your pp, it's down to you and taking a drop on the basis of some one else who may or may not be aware of this specific rule is not the way to go.
Learn it for yourself and make the call.

I said that on the basis that I'm polite enough to suggest to them that I think I "may" entitled to relief, if they agree, then I would take it, rather than just take relief without informing my PP's what I'm about to do as it might look a tad suspicious if I just pick it up, take a drop then tell them after the hole had finished that I got a free drop, don't you think ?

 

[robinthehood]

I said that on the basis that I'm polite enough to suggest to them that I think I "may" entitled to relief, if they agree, then I would take it, rather than just take relief without informing my PP's what I'm about to do as it might look a tad suspicious if I just pick it up, take a drop then tell them after the hole had finished that I got a free drop, don't you think ?

Not really, that's what I do. Never been a problem.

 

[Grant85]

Not sure if this has been mentioned here but just wanted to praise Lee Westwood for not trying it on with the rules official to get a free drop during yesterday's final round.

If anyone missed it, he hit his tee shot on one of the holes (apologies, I cannot remember which) off to the right and it ended up in the middle of a large bush. When he arrived at the ball it was lying in a rabbit scraping, for which he could have claimed a free drop. However, the rules official asked him if, had it not been in a scraping, and therefore no free relief available, would he attempt to play the ball as it lies, or would he take an unplayable. To his credit, Westwood immediately responded that he would take the unplayable, thereby negating any chance of a free drop. Kudos to him for his honesty. Exactly the spirit in which the game should be played, and a lot pf players could do well to follow his example.

I've always like Westwood as a player, and I know I like him even more. Hope he gets some really good results in the near future, he deserves them.

Agree about Westwood and that he didn't even attempt to try it on, even though the rules guy was giving him an option to say 'yes' and get a free drop.

However I think the issue was made easier for him as there was a very good spot that he could drop from when taking an unplayable and he still had a decent chance of a 4 (i.e. moving back between his ball and the hole to a nice elevated flat spot.

I think had he taken free relief he was dropping down in the 'general area' next to the bush and probably still had a severely impeded shot. So possible that someone like Kuchar or DJ (or Seve for that matter) would probably have made the same decision.

 

[Robster59]

Imagine if he’d been challenging...

At that time I think he was tied for the lead or just one off it so it was a big call in that sense.