GOLF CV / Nº 14 • ENERO • 39
Golf for the residents This month we will look at the procedure for dealing with immovable obstructions and abnormal ground conditions. What is an immovable obstruction? An immovable obstruction is an artificial object on the course that cannot be moved (e.g. a building) or cannot readily be moved (e.g. a firmly embedded direction post). Objects defining out of bounds are not treated as obstructions. What is an abnormal ground condition? An abnormal ground condition is casual water, ground under repair or a hole or the cast from a hole made by a burrowing animal, a reptile or a bird. Except when your ball is in a water hazard, relief without penalty is available from immovable obstructions and abnormal ground conditions when the condition physically interferes with the lie of the ball, your stance or your swing. You may lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of the nearest point of relief (see Definition of “Nearest Point of Relief”), but not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. If the ball is on the putting green, you place it at the nearest point of relief, which may be off the putting green. There is no relief for intervention on your line of play unless both your ball and the condition are on the putting green. As an additional option when your ball is in a bunker, you may take relief from the condition by dropping the ball outside and behind the bunker under penalty of one stroke. The “nearest point of relief” is the reference point for taking relief without penalty from interference by an immovable obstruction (Rule 24-2), an abnormal ground condition (Rule 25-1) or a wrong putting green (Rule 25-3). It is the point on the course nearest to where the ball lies:
I. that is not nearer the hole, and
Recently in The International League we had some confusion regarding the idenII. where, if the ball were so positioned, tity of players. no interference by the condition from which relief is sought would exist for Regarding names on your playing partthe stroke the player would have made ners or opponents score cards. In the past from the original position if the condi- two tournaments, it has come to light the confusion that can arise regarding names tion were not there. and the identity of players. We have all Note: In order to determine the nea- experienced it, we arrive on the tee and rest point of relief accurately, the player introduce ourselves to our playing partshould use the club with which he would ners, some of the Spanish names are have made his next stroke if the condition a real mouthful Ximo for example. We were not there to simulate the address swap cards and you look down to see position, direction of play and swing for that you have Joaquin’s card. You ask such a stroke. the other players who is Joaquin only to The player gets his nearest point of relief discover it is Ximo. Ximo is his nickname, and may drop their ball within one club Joaquin is his real name. As we are all felength, and must strike the course at a derated using our passport and the name spot that avoids interference from the from your passport, some of us tend to immovable obstruction, and is not in a use different names, that we go bye. hazard and not on the putting green. The We had two incidences where it caused player is not required by the rules to mark some confusion. Shay returned and signed his card for the monthly medal. The either reference point, however it is good competition secretary could not find his practice to do so to ensure a valid drop is licence number, why because his name made within the rules. is Edward James on his passport and that I hope this assists players regarding im- is how he is registered. Then we had the movable obstructions and abnormal Christmas special. I know we have just ground conditions. finished the Christmas season but we
