GOLF RULE FOR THE WEEK:
Interference from Ropes
During a period of wet weather a Committee roped off approaches to putting greens to guide players to the sides with their trolleys.
Question 1:
A player struck their ball from the rough, 120 yards from the putting green. Their ball, which was heading for the green, hit a rope and fell to the ground. How must the player proceed?
a) They must cancel the stroke, drop a ball at the point where they made the stroke from and play again.
b) They must cancel the stroke, place a ball at the point where they made the stroke from and play again.
c) They must play their ball as it lies.
Answer 1:
c) They must play their ball as it lies.
Rule 19-1:
If a player’s ball in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped by any outside agency, it is a rub of the green, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies (there are exceptions, but they do not apply here).
Question 2:
Could the player have gone forward and lowered the poles and the ropes to the ground to avoid hitting them?
Answer 2:
Yes, but the player should ensure that they do not unduly delay play.
__________
A young tree had recently been transplanted and was supported by a triangle of stakes with supporting ropes. The ropes were secured to both the stakes and the tree and were not easily movable.
Question 3:
May the player take relief from the rope, which is clearly in their intended line of play?
Answer 3:
No. The rope is an immovable obstruction on the line of play, for which there is no relief, unless it interferes with the player’s lie, stance or area of intended swing.
Note: Rule 24-2a confirms that intervention on the line of play is not, of itself, interference from an immovable obstruction.