Club Used to determine Nearest Point of relief.

[natgolfer]

In your previous explanation of how to determine nearest point of relief, which, BTW, was excellent and should be posted in locker rooms around the area, you stated that any club may be used to determine the nearest point.

In decision 20/1, it states that "A player may use any club in measuring, including a club belonging to a partner, an opponent, or a fellow-competitor..."

Does this mean then, that if my FC has a 55" long putter, that I can ask him to lend it to me to determine my 1 or 2 club length move as prescribed in the relevant rule, even though I will end up getting more relief than if I had used one of my own, shorter clubs?

If yes, and I know you are getting tired of hearing this from me, this does not seem fair or equitable, as the balance of the field cannot also, get use of this longer club.

Lastly, and again, if yes, what happens if my FC refuses to lend it to me? :mad:

[Gary Hill]

I don't think that is what I said. If so, I apologize.

from thread 291:

"Starting to the right side of the cart path, you would take a stance with the club with which you expect to play your next shot."
"Once you have determined this nearest point of relief, you are allowed to drop a ball within one club length (any club may be used here) "

Maybe I just explained it badly. I will attempt it again.

The player should determine his nearest point of relief by using the club with which he expects to play his next stroke to simulate the address position and swing for such stroke. (Nearest Point of Relief)

Once the ball is dropped, ANY of your clubs may be used to determine whether or not the ball has rolled more than two club lengths from where it first struck a part of the course. (Dropping and Re-Dropping)


Now on to your present question:

A player may borrow a club for the purposes of measuring, but once chosen, that club must continue to be used by the player for all subsequent measuring in a given situation.

If the spot on which the ball is dropped and played could be reached by one of his own clubs, the player incurs no penalty.

If the player could not have reached that spot by measuring with one of his own clubs, the player incurs the penalty for playing from a wrong place.

If a fellow-competitor refuses to lend you a club for measuring, you have no recourse other than to get a club from your own bag.

natgolfer - Your Decisions Book (pre-1997) is horribly out of date.

[natgolfer]

It's the 1993 edition. Time to update. Thanks

[Gary Hill]

The Rules are revised every four years. The Decisions are updated every two years.

Prior to 1998, the Decisions were updated EVERY year.