Hi Linda,
A player hit his ball into a bush. He took
an unplayable and a penalty. He dropped within two club-lengths and no
closer to the hole. His ball rolled another club-length and came to rest on a
cart path, no closer to the hole. Taking relief from the path would have put
him into high grass. He elected to play from the path.
Was his decision to play from the path within the rules?
Thanks again,
Lou from Ontario
Dear Lou,
Yes. After he dropped away from the bush, he had a new
situation – interference by an immovable obstruction (cart path). There is no
requirement to take relief from a cart path. The player judged that the relief
area (high grass) was worse than hitting off a cart path, and elected to play
the ball as it lay on the path. Sounds like a wise decision to me!
Incidentally, there is no problem with a ball rolling one
club-length away after a drop. It may actually roll up to two club-lengths, as
long as it does not end up nearer the hole than its original position [Rule
20-2c (vi) and (vii)].
Linda
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