Linda,
During this morning's round, my buddy hit his tee shot into a yellow-staked penalty area. He choose to take his drop on a narrow strip of grass between the hazard and cart path, knowing that he would have to stand on the cart path to take his shot.
His drop resulted in a nearly perfect lie and he proceeded to hit his shot. As he was getting back into our cart, he asked me if his drop had resulted in a terrible lie would he then be able to take relief from the cart path (and thereby presumably get a better lie)?
I thought it was an interesting question and I was not sure of the answer, and I have not been able to find the answer myself. If that is allowable, then it is a way to take 2 drops - thereby increasing your chance of getting a favorable lie.
Thanks,
Lou from Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Dear Lou,
Yes, your friend would be permitted to drop a second time to get free relief from the cart path.
I will assume that his first drop was back on the line and was properly dropped in the correct relief area and remained there. Once the ball was dropped correctly it was in play, and his relief from the penalty area was completed. Now he is faced with a new situation – interference by an immovable obstruction (cart path). He may play the ball as it lies with his stance on the cart path, or he may choose to take free relief under Rule 16.1. If the second drop improves the lie for his next shot, he is a lucky fellow and also a smart one for understanding the Rules and using them to his advantage. There’s nothing wrong with that!
Linda
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