Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Ask Linda #1646-Relief from immovable obstruction in water hazard

Linda, I have a question. We were playing in a golf tournament and my ball came to rest just outside the red lines defining the lateral hazard. For me to hit the ball I needed to stand in the hazard. The problem is there is a concrete drainage ditch running in the hazard. So I needed to stand on it to hit the ball. Would I be entitled to relief from the hazard? If so the nearest point of relief would take me to the cart path. So would I also receive relief from the cart path? I played it as it lay and scored a double.
Thanks.
Lou from Tennessee

Dear Lou,

You are entitled to free relief from an immovable obstruction in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard when your ball lies outside the hazard [Rule 24-2b]. The only time you are not permitted free relief from an immovable obstruction is when your ball lies in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard.

Find the nearest point of relief not nearer the hole and drop within one club-length of that point. If it turns out that your drop will be on a cart path, you must drop the ball on the path. After your drop, if you have interference from the cart path, follow the same procedure if you wish to take relief from the path.

If you had not had interference from an immovable obstruction, you would have had to play your ball as it lay outside the hazard with your stance in the hazard.

Knowing the ruling might have saved you from a double bogey. However, you are to be commended for deciding to play the ball where it lay. A player who is unsure of how to proceed will avoid risking penalty for an incorrect procedure if he plays the ball as it lies.

Linda
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