Linda,
At a tournament, the rules person said you cannot move a
cigar butt from the bunker. If the butt is considered artificial, I think you
can. I looked at Rules 24 & 23.
Thanks,
Lulu from Hollywood, Florida
Dear Lulu,
You are correct. A cigar butt is an obstruction (just like a
rake or a towel), and may be removed from the bunker.
It’s surprising to learn that a rules official does not know
the difference between a loose impediment and an obstruction. Loose impediments are natural objects,
such as twigs and leaves [Definition of “Loose Impediments”]. If your ball and
a loose impediment lie in the same hazard, you may not touch or move the loose
impediment [Rule 13-4c]. Obstructions are anything artificial,
which means man-made [Definition of “Obstructions”]. Cigars are both man-made
and movable, making them movable obstructions. They may be moved regardless of
where they or the ball lie [Rule 24-1].
Linda
Copyright © 2016 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
