Occasionally during a round your ball may wind up in the vicinity of (or behind) a tree. The Rules of Golf do not provide for free relief from trees staked or otherwise. However, they allow for local rules to designate such supported / staked trees as immovable obstructions and provide for relief, in order to protect these young trees until maturity. Such a staked tree is defined as one that has not yet reached maturity and requires stakes and supports to keep it upright. According to the rules of golf, if the obstruction interferes with the player's stance or the area of his intended swing he is entitled to free relief which is achieved by following the procedure spelled out below. Rule 24-2. Immovable Obstruction b. Relief: Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an immovable obstruction as follows: (i) Through the Green: If the ball lies through the green, the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule. Please see the following example illustrating a common situation with a staked tree and the steps taken to gain relief from this type of interference. For further information on additional elements of this (or any other) rule please consult your USGA Rule Book or contact your local Rules Official. NOTE: Yardage Bushes and Tree Wells are NOT obstructions and players are NOT entitled to free relief!! See Next 4 Pages For Illustrations!!! Good Golfing!! Rule of The Month December 2011 Trees on the Course - Procedure For Relief From Staked Trees Rule 24-2 b. (i) Immovable Obstruction
Staked Trees Ball In Leaves or Branches of The Tree Presents Interference With Stance or Swing Treat as Immovable Obstruction - Rule 24-2 b. (i) 24-2 b. Relief: Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an immovable obstruction as follows: (i) Through the Green: the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Local Rule.
Procedure For Relief From Staked Trees Trees on the Course - Immovable Obstruction-Rule 24-2 b. (i) Area of intended swing. Nearest unobstructed swing relief. 1) Obstruction interferes with the player s stance or area of his intended swing. Club would hit the tree during the shot. NPR 2) Using the club the player would have used if the condition were not there, simulate the swing and mark the nearest point of relief (NPR) no nearer the hole with a golf tee. ** ** ** Note swing relief from an obstruction may or may not provide line-of-sight relief to the hole!! NPR 3) Using any club in your bag to measure with, mark a position with another golf tee one club length from the NPR no nearer the hole. 4) Lift your ball (it may be cleaned during this procedure) and drop it within the designated one club length area. When the ball comes to rest, it must be no nearer the hole, not wind-up back in the interference, or roll more than two club lengths from the point it hit the ground when dropped. Ref. Rule 20-2 c.
Trees With Tree Wells Ball In Mulch Chips In Tree Well Ball In Leaves or Branches of The Tree Presents Interference With Stance or Swing What are your options??? Play the ball as it lies Declare an unplayable lie Sob uncontrollably (Note) Bark chips and other materials may be treated as loose impediments.
Yardage Bushes The DEFINITIONS Section of the Rules of Golf designates an obstruction as follows: An "obstruction" is anything artificial, including the artificial surfaces and sides of roads and paths i.e. Buildings, drainage vents, drainage ditches, valve covers, sprinkler heads, rabbit fences, control boxes and colored yardage tiles. Since a yardage bush is a natural object, and is not artificial, it does not qualify as an obstruction and no relief is allowed.