Ask Linda #14 - relief from fences

Dear Linda,
How do I take relief from fences?
Lulu

Dear Lulu,

There are different types of fences you may encounter on a golf course, and the relief procedure is not always the same.

If the fence is a boundary fence, there is no free relief. You may proceed under the unplayable ball rule (see Ask Linda #13).

If the fence is protecting a young tree or marking off ground under repair, you are entitled to free relief, commonly referred to as “stance plus a club-length.” Choosing the club you would most likely use to hit your next shot if the fence weren’t there, take your stance at the place closest to where your ball lies where you could freely swing. Put a tee in the ground where the ball would lie. Now, using any club, place one end at the tee and lay the club on the ground at an angle slightly away from the hole. Place a second tee in the ground at the end of your club. You now have two tees in the ground delineating the area in which you may drop the ball. If you drop it and it rolls closer to the hole than a straight line between the two tees, you must re-drop. Watch where your ball hits the ground on this second drop, because if the ball again rolls too far forward, you must then place it where it hit the ground when you dropped it the second time.

If the fence is an internal fence (e.g., along a cart path to prevent the cart from wandering off the path and tumbling into a ravine), you get free relief (stance plus a club-length, see previous paragraph).

Offhand, I can’t think of any other types of fences. If you know of any others where you can’t figure out how to take relief based on the above explanations, Lulu, send me a P.S. In the meantime, hit ‘em straight and stay out of trouble!

Linda

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