# Immovable Fairway Marker



## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Can you move your ball if it is against an immovable yardage marker and is it two club lengths? I think we discussed this situation before.:dunno:


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

Bob you can try to move your ball anywhere you like but it's not going to help you when balls is on the distance marker of the wrong fairway.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Surtees said:


> Bob you can try to move your ball anywhere you like but it's not going to help you when balls is on the distance marker of the wrong fairway.


Hey! I'm hitting in kilometers not millimeters like some down under person I know:cheeky4:

Since we got the salutations out of the way...How the heck are ya Luke. I found my groove again and knocked off another three stokes
hitting more pars then Bogies. I'm on top of the world meeting my goal this year.


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

broken tee said:


> Hey! I'm hitting in kilometers not millimeters like some down under person I know:cheeky4:
> 
> Since we got the salutations out of the way...How the heck are ya Luke. I found my groove again and knocked off another three stokes
> hitting more pars then Bogies. I'm on top of the world meeting my goal this year.


I'm pretty good bob glad to hear you'vee got your groove back. it always feels so much better when your playing while.

As a real answer for for intial question I'm pretty sure that there is a rule the goes along the lines of a player is able to move there ball away from the hole if there is an immovable object in the way as long as you keep the ball in a straight line from the pin and the intail point of lay. I'm not sure if there is a set distance that you are allowed to move it or not some of the other guys on here might know this rule a little better then I do.


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## King Woods (Feb 18, 2008)

I'm pretty sure it's only 1 club length (two for penalty drops, one for free drops), but I'll have to look that up in the morning.


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

You can't move your ball away from the 100 yard sign. That's the RANGE... not the fairway!!!


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

DennisM said:


> You can't move your ball away from the 100 yard sign. That's the RANGE... not the fairway!!!


14-1 of the hackers manual stated: " when no one is looking,kick the ball and say wrong ball its over here."


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

broken tee said:


> Can you move your ball if it is against an immovable yardage marker and is it two club lengths? I think we discussed this situation before.:dunno:


If you are looking for a serious answer then yes, you can take relief from an immovable obstruction. However, the above stated procedure is incorrect. You locate the *nearest point* where the obstruction no longer interferes with your lie, stance, or area of intended swing. There is only one such point on the golf course that fulfills those requirements and is not closer to the hole. You can then measure one clublength *from that point*, not from where the ball originally lies, to establish your dropping area. That point may still be within one clublength from where the ball was, but it is not necessarily so, and in a competition you could be penalized 2 strokes (or potentially disqualified) for dropping and playing from a wrong place if you don't first establish the nearest point of complete relief. 

Sometimes you don't need to follow the full procedure to be certain of dropping correctly, but other times you may need to take your stance with your intended club in 2 or more places and actually measure from where the ball lies to determine which is correct. If that point is in deep rough, in a bush or tree, then it may be more advisable to play the ball as it lies. If there is any doubt, don't lift the ball until you have examined all of your options, as then it will cost you a stroke just to replace it.

This is a very commonly breached rule, so it pays to know the correct procedure for finding that relief point. I highly recommend looking at the animation for "Nearest Point of Relief" on this page of the USGA's website: Rules Animations. Scroll down to that title about 2/3 down the page. There are several very good animations that clarify rules procedures. It's a good page to have bookmarked. :thumbsup:


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## King Woods (Feb 18, 2008)

Wow. Nice post!


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

thanks Rick: We were debating on one or two club lengths and we were wrong one of the funnest shot seen on the course in a while. hit a tree then a starling in flight then against the marker. The Starling is no longer a member of the flock. One other thing we knew it wasn't closer to the hole so the ball was moved laterial.


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

Sounds like someone got a birdie Bob.

Also Rick as always very handy advice. Just one question The rule that I posted earlier about moving your ball back in line is there a rule like this as I have seen it used in a pro golf match I was watching on TV sorry I cant remember which one it was.


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

Surtees said:


> Sounds like someone got a birdie Bob.
> 
> Also Rick as always very handy advice. Just one question The rule that I posted earlier about moving your ball back in line is there a rule like this as I have seen it used in a pro golf match I was watching on TV sorry I cant remember which one it was.


That only applies to certain *penalty* relief situations (water hazard, ball unplayable), not to relief from an obstruction or from an abnormal ground condition. In any case where you are taking relief without penalty, you *must first locate the nearest point of relief* from where the ball lies that is not nearer to the hole, then you drop within one clublength of that point, also not closer to the hole from that point. The ball must com to rest within 2 clublengths of the point where it hits the ground on the drop, and at a point that still offers complete relief from the obstruction. If the first drop fails in this, the ball must be redropped. If it still fails to come to rest in a correct place, then you place the ball where it hit the ground on the second drop.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Rick: When you talk relief you mean ground under repair or the grounds keeper drove through a soft spot and your ball is in the mud, correct. Understand Rick I don't play in tournaments so all these rules of can and can'ts are foriegn to me. I'm like Surtees I play against myself and the course for lower scores and improved shots or laughs. 

Since we're on rules why can't a player adjust the weights in his or her driver during tournament play?


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

You can adjust the weights bob just dont let anyone see you doing it.


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

broken tee said:


> Rick: When you talk relief you mean ground under repair or the grounds keeper drove through a soft spot and your ball is in the mud, correct. Understand Rick I don't play in tournaments so all these rules of can and can'ts are foriegn to me. I'm like Surtees I play against myself and the course for lower scores and improved shots or laughs.
> 
> Since we're on rules why can't a player adjust the weights in his or her driver during tournament play?


Under the rules, abnormal ground (ground that is damaged or under repair) should be marked by the committee or otherwise specified as a relief area. Casual water the golfer can determine on his own (see the definition of Casual Water in the rules). A rut made by a maintenance cart is not GUR unless so marked (outlined with a white line), or it is in an area that otherwise fits the definition of casual water. A course may be doing some improvement on a bunker or tee box (or just have a sprinkler dug up for repair or other maintenance work) and declare the area as under repair by a sign posted in the clubhouse, without clear course marking.... use your best judgment then in casual play.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Surtees said:


> You can adjust the weights bob just dont let anyone see you doing it.


adjusting my weight is all talk and no action


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Fourputt said:


> Under the rules, abnormal ground (ground that is damaged or under repair) should be marked by the committee or otherwise specified as a relief area. Casual water the golfer can determine on his own (see the definition of Casual Water in the rules). A rut made by a maintenance cart is not GUR unless so marked (outlined with a white line), or it is in an area that otherwise fits the definition of casual water. A course may be doing some improvement on a bunker or tee box (or just have a sprinkler dug up for repair or other maintenance work) and declare the area as under repair by a sign posted in the clubhouse, without clear course marking.... use your best judgment then in casual play.


Thanks Rick


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

broken tee said:


> adjusting my weight is all talk and no action


I have to agree with you there Bob I have one club with adjustable weights and I have never touched them I figuare I hit pretty good with it most of the time so why fix something if it isn't broken?


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Surtees said:


> I have to agree with you there Bob I have one club with adjustable weights and I have never touched them I figuare I hit pretty good with it most of the time so why fix something if it isn't broken?


I mean my weight cellulitic mass of flab on the mid section


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

broken tee said:


> I mean my weight cellulitic mass of flab on the mid section


I was going to go down that line earlier but I thought I'd be nice and stay on topic for once but since you brought it up, you could get some good power through your swing if you got that wieght working for you .


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Surtees said:


> I was going to go down that line earlier but I thought I'd be nice and stay on topic for once but since you brought it up, you could get some good power through your swing if you got that wieght working for you .


I tried the John Dailey method of swinging it doesn't work for me.


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