Narrow relief area

[tigger12]

Playing Stonebridge, hole 12.
Tee shot lands just over the cart path.
There is approx 6 ft of room between me and the hazard.( I am right handed)
I can take my stance put my first tee in the ground. My second tee will be in the hazard.
There is about one foot of drop area between the two tees that the ball could land in that is not hazard.
It is sloped so the ball will likely bounce into the hazard and I will have to place the ball.
I placed the ball on that very narrow piece of rough that gave me complete relief.
My playing partner said I should have the full club length of complete relief in which to drop and should have gone to the other (and better lie) side of the cart path.
What is the correct ruling?

Thanks

[BC MIST]

Playing Stonebridge, hole 12.
Tee shot lands just over the cart path.
There is approx 6 ft of room between me and the hazard.( I am right handed)
I can take my stance put my first tee in the ground. My second tee will be in the hazard.
There is about one foot of drop area between the two tees that the ball could land in that is not hazard.
It is sloped so the ball will likely bounce into the hazard and I will have to place the ball.
I placed the ball on that very narrow piece of rough that gave me complete relief.
My playing partner said I should have the full club length of complete relief in which to drop and should have gone to the other (and better lie) side of the cart path.
What is the correct ruling?Thanks

Your nearest point of relief is the closest point on the course that would give you relief from the cart path. It sounds like you established that point correctly. The rule states that you must drop the ball WITHIN one club length of that nearest point, but there is nothing in the rule that guarantees you one club length of relief. If you have only 1 foot on which to drop the ball, then you must drop it withing that 1 foot. If it lands or rolls into the hazard you re-drop and if it does it again you place the ball where it hit the ground on the second drop.

In summary, what you did was correct except that there was no reason to place the second tee in the hazard. Your FELLOW COMPETITOR (not playing partner) was incorrect.

[tigger12]

Thanks for the fast reply to the first part.
The next phase of the ruling.
The player has approx a foot outside the hazard line to drop the ball. The club they would realistically use to hit their approach is a seven iron.
But, the player takes their stance using a driver. This would now put the players drop starting in the hazard. So, they argue they can drop on the other side of the cart path.
I have heard that legally you can take your stance with any club.
What is the ruling?

[justsomeguy]

Thanks for the fast reply to the first part.
The next phase of the ruling.
The player has approx a foot outside the hazard line to drop the ball. The club they would realistically use to hit their approach is a seven iron.
But, the player takes their stance using a driver. This would now put the players drop starting in the hazard. So, they argue they can drop on the other side of the cart path.
I have heard that legally you can take your stance with any club.
What is the ruling?

Not true. You must take your stance with a the club you would normally use in order to establish your nearest point of relief. Once that point is established, you can use any club (including a driver) to measure the one club-length (or in some circumstances two club-lengths) for the drop area.