Forum > Rules and Etiquette

Matt Hargraves

Whats the ruling on this, and what is an immovable object.
just on sunday i sliced a shot and my ball ended up next to the concreate upright hole information board on the 9th tee, not on the tee box but to the side in the rough. I did play it as it lied but could i have moved it?

TIA

Robbie Allison

Matt, Taken from Randa definitions:

An obstruction is a movable obstruction if it may be moved without unreasonable effort, without unduly delaying play and without causing damage. Otherwise it is an immovable obstruction.

It is the obstruction that is moved matt rather than the ball....

The above definition would consider concrete to be immovable.... 

John Pettitt

You are entitled to free relief if your ball "lies in or on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing."

One club length from nearest point of relief is allowed.

John

Robbie Allison

So in Matts case John. Would he get free relief..?

Also what is considered to be an "obstruction".

David Marshall

Obstructions
An “obstruction’’ is anything artificial, including the artificial
surfaces and sides of roads and paths and manufactured
ice, except:
a. Objects defining out of bounds, such as walls, fences,
stakes and railings;
b. Any part of an immovable artificial object that is out of
bounds; and
c. Any construction declared by the Committee to be an
integral part of the course.
An obstruction is a movable obstruction if it may be moved
without unreasonable effort, without unduly delaying play
and without causing damage. Otherwise it is an
immovable obstruction.
Note: The Committee may make a Local Rule declaring a
movable obstruction to be an immovable obstruction.
Out of Bounds
“Out of bounds’’ is beyond the boundaries of the course or any
part of the course so marked by the Committee.
When out of bounds is defined by reference to stakes or a fence
or as being beyond stakes or a fence, the out of bounds line is
determined by the nearest inside points of the stakes or fence
posts at ground level excluding angled supports.
Objects defining out of bounds such as walls, fences, stakes
and railings, are not obstructions and are deemed to be fixed.
When out of bounds is defined by a line on the ground, the line
itself is out of bounds.
The out of bounds line extends vertically upwards
and downwards.
A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies out of bounds.
A player may stand out of bounds to play a ball lying in bounds.

To clarify it more:

Fallen branches or trees. Rakes left outside bunkers. Twigs and leaves on the putting green. Stones in bunkers, provided your ball does not move if you remove it/them. 

David Marshall

 May I suggest that you download the attached.  It is useful to know the rules

RULES OF GOLF

Robbie Allison

Wayne Santorini

Matt Hargraves

thanks all

so i take it mine would have come under
c. Any construction declared by the Committee to be an
integral part of the course.

So no free drop?

John Pettitt

Matt Hargraves

Cheers john,
Getting to know and ude the rules to your advantage will help me lots.

John Pettitt

If you ever watch a Pro tournament you will see that they take advcantage of every rule in the book.

I can remember playing in Pro-Am at Penine GC in Portugal with my pro Martin Foster. Because of the torrential rain the course had taken over the week before the Pro-Am a local rule was introduced, much like our winter rules here, where clean and place within one foot, not nearer the hole was allowed.

I saw that day, on more than one occasion a ball on the fringe of the green, being picked up, wiped and replaced on the green within the foot limit but no nearer.

Christopher Watmore

Steve Morgan

Everybody please order yourselves a copy of the new rule book for 2008 - it is slightly annoying to have a 'discussion' rules and then some guy pulling out a 1980's version of the rule book !

 It's only 99p from the R&A or get one from your club.

David Marshall

Steve....

The rules I have referred to are the CURRENT set of rules.

Perhaps it might help if YOU were to read and understand them!! And get YOUR facts right before spouting off, because if you had taken the trouble to look at the link I posted earlier, you would have seen that it is indeed the current rule book !

The link is as follows

Rules of Golf

Steve Morgan

David,

I had a feeling you wouldn't respond too well to my posts.

 In my experience (on the golf course and on forums) people who think they know the rules are usually quite blinkered until these things are pointed out to them and the correct answer is in front of them.

Please re-read my posts and you may see that I am not "TOTALLY WRONG" in any of the points that I have made (however I may have put them)

Anybody else like to let us know which side of the fence you are sitting on and why ?

But as I'm yet to be proved wrong on any point, and I believe you are yet to prove yourself right on any point I think we'll leave it at that for the moment.