Stepping on long grass

[St Andrew]

Can you step on grass or move branches without breaking or otherwise damaging the plants? What restrictions are there?

[Gary Hill]

You cannot improve the position or lie of your ball, the area of your intended stance or swing, or line of play by moving, bending, or breaking anything growing or fixed, creating or eliminating irregularities of surface, removing or pressing down sand, loose soil, replaced divots, or other cut turf placed in position or removing dew, frost, or water.

[jimrobin]

Gary states:
You cannot improve the position or lie of your ball, the area of your intended stance or swing, or line of play by moving, bending, or breaking anything growing or fixed,

What if you're under a tree and you bend the branch with your body while addressing the ball? According to what you stated above this isn't allowed, and I see guys do that all the time. What if the branch breaks? I believe that is OK while you're swinging but not before. Also what if you hit the tree while trying practise swings?
Nothing breaks off is this a penalty, or if something does break off, I'd imagine that is a penalty?

In other words, what are the rules when you're up against a tree, bush, plant, etc. and your swing is obstructed.

Thanks,
JR

[Gary Hill]

You may see guys do it all the time, but that doesn't mean it's not a penalty.

You are only allowed to fairly take your stance.
The use of "fairly" is intended to limit the player to what is reasonably necessary to take a stance.
The player is not entitled to a normal stance or swing.
He must accommodate the situation in which the ball is found and take a stance as normal as the circumstances permit.
What is fair must be determined in the light of all the circumstances.

Examples of actions which do not constitute fairly taking a stance are:
- deliberately moving, bending or breaking branches with the hands to get them out of the way of the backswing or stroke.
- standing on a branch to prevent it interfering with the backswing or stroke.
- hooking one branch on another or braiding two weeds for the same purpose.
- bending with a hand a branch obscuring the ball after the stance has been taken.
- bending an interfering branch with a leg in taking a stance when the stance could have been taken without bending the branch.

As to knocking off leaves or breaking a branch on practice swings, it depends on the circumstances.
In some cases, the knocking down of a number of tiny leaves or pine needles would not improve the area of the intended swing, in which case there would be no penalty.
In other cases, the knocking down of one large leaf might improve the area of the intended swing, in which case there would be a penalty.
Breaking a branch would be a penalty in virtually all cases.

Actually taking your stroke is a different story.
During the stroke or the backward movement for the stroke, you are exempt from penalty.