Dear Linda,
The ball is playable, but in the hazard. It is
partially covered by an empty candy wrapper. Is it legal to remove the
candy wrapper...as long the ball does not move?
Thank you,
Lulu from Texas
Dear Lulu,
It is legal to remove the candy wrapper, even if the ball
does move. A candy wrapper is artificial, or man-made, and therefore fits the
Definition of Movable Obstruction. You are always entitled to relief from an
obstruction, regardless of where your ball lies. If your ball moves when you
lift the candy wrapper, you must replace your ball. There is no penalty.
If your ball had come to rest on top of the candy wrapper, you would lift your ball, remove the
wrapper, and drop your ball as close as possible to where it lay [Rule 24-1].
Please don’t confuse obstructions with loose impediments.
While you are always permitted to remove obstructions (man-made objects), you
are not permitted to touch a loose impediment (natural object) when both your visible ball and the loose impediment lie in the same hazard.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
