Free drop or not?

[LBH]

Hi Gary,

I was going over some pictures of a trip I made to Cuba last december and came across the attached picture that I took at the Varadero Golf Club.

You can clearly see that the cart path crosses right through the bunker. My question is: "If a competitor's ball is lying in the bunker and the cart path inteferes with his swing/stance, is he allowed to take a drop at the closest point of relief? What if the ball is actually on the cart path?"

Thanks

LongBallHitter

[Gary Hill]

Yes. Relief without penalty may be obtained from an immovable obstruction in a bunker.

You would determine the nearest point of relief from the cartpath which is IN the hazard. Lift and drop the ball within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than this point on a part of the course which avoids interference by the cartpath and is IN the hazard. (ie. The nearest point of relief must be in the hazard and the ball must be dropped in the hazard.)

A ball lying on an obstruction in a bunker is in the bunker.

At any time, including at address or in the backward movement for the swing, the player may touch with a club or otherwise any obstuction.

[powerlefty]

I played at Varadero last winter as well. I must admit I did not even notice the cart path running through the bunker. From the looks of it, it appears to be on the right side of the par 3 12th and to the extreme right of the par 4 13th. Is that where it is?

[LBH]

It's on the par 3 12th hole. If you look at the picture, on the left side, behind the trees, you see a rock formation. That's the rock wall that is just short of the green on the par 4 13th hole... That's how I remembered on what hole that cart path through the bunker was on.

[powerlefty]

That's what I thought. I don't know why I never noticed the cart path in the bunker - to many mohitos I guess