Several of my eagle-eyed, rules savvy readers pointed out an
error in Ask Linda #489. The first e-mail I received is below, followed by my
response. I have amended Ask Linda #489 to reflect this information. Thank you
for pointing out my mistake, Lulus!
Dear Linda,
Can you advise as to where in the Rules it states that
stakes indicating or defining a Water Hazard may not be removed if they are
movable? I thought that movable obstructions in a WH could be moved.
Yours aye,
Lulu from Holywood (Northern Ireland)
Dear Lulu,
You are absolutely correct. Stakes defining or identifying a
water hazard are obstructions [Definition of Water Hazard]. If they can easily
be moved, they are movable obstructions, and they may be removed regardless of
whether your ball lies in or out of the hazard [Rule 24-1].
The story changes if the stakes are immovable. If stakes
cannot be removed with reasonable effort, or removing them might damage the
course, they are immovable obstructions. If a player’s ball does not lie in a hazard, he is
entitled to free relief from an
immovable water hazard stake under Rule 24-2b. However, if his ball lies in the hazard, there is no free relief [Rule 24-2, Note 1]. A
player whose ball lies in a hazard who is unable to hit the ball due to
interference from an immovable hazard stake must take relief under Rule 26-1
(Relief for Ball in Water Hazard). All of the relief options in 26-1 include a
one-stroke penalty
Be aware that Committees are permitted to label all water
hazard stakes as “immovable obstructions” [Definition of Obstruction, Note). In
that case, players would be prohibited from removing any water hazard stake on
the course. Players outside the hazard would be entitled to drop away from the
stakes; players inside the hazard would have no free relief option.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
