Linda,
Today there was a small pool of water on the perimeter of
the green. A fellow player’s ball was lying a few feet short of the green. The
casual water was between her ball and the hole. She asked me if she had free
relief to move her ball and be able to putt onto the green without hindrance of
the casual water. She did not want to have to pitch over the water.
I was not sure of the ruling. She took the relief anyway.
Many thanks for your comment.
Thanks,
Lulu from Vancouver, Canada
Dear Lulu,
Interference from casual water occurs when the ball lies in
or touches the casual water, or the casual water interferes with the player’s
stance or the area of her intended swing. Interference
on the line of play does not entitle the player to free relief when the
ball is not on the green [Rule 25-1a].
Only if the ball lies on
the green, and casual water intervenes on the player’s line of putt, is she is
entitled to free relief [Rule 25-1b (iii)].
Linda
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