Where to drop

[Kiwi battler]

This happened yesterday , and is in this thread for a reason

I was teamed up with a scratch golfer , and the runner up club champ
These 2 golfers are and were batting #1 in our top interclub teams the last 2 years respectfully

Now one of them hits his ball and it finishes some 30yards right of the 11th green , laying amongst a bunch of stones ...the NPR from the stones would see the player standing on a path for his next shot , the pair then hummed and harred about dropping , then redropping or maybe just dropping it the once on the opposite side of the stoney area

They called me over for my opinion ....

What wisdom would you have offered ?

[AAA]

Why did he get relief from 'the bunch of stones' ? Other than simply moving them. Were they not LIs ?

[Kiwi battler]

They didnt like it when I informed them there was no free drop ....

Quite amazing how an invented rule thats handed from greenfee player to greenfee player gets carried into club play , and so many think its gospel ....if you know what I mean

[gbower]

Unless there's a LR about the rocks, if they're big ones for drainage, you wouldn't be allowed free relief and would have to either play it as it lies or take an unplayable. I know we have a few areas that have big rocks and some gardens and they're all in our local rules as free relief and then you must go through the process of dropping on the path if necessary and then if you want relief from the path that situation will need to be addressed. They may just want to play it off the path.

[AAA]

I know we have a few areas that have big rocks and some gardens and they're all in our local rules as free relief .

Are these rocks part of a construction of some sort ?
You can't have a Local Rule giving relief for Loose Impediments.

[gbower]

The rocks are actually in a ditch for drainage.

[dhacker1956]

NO? Yes? I think yes if it is a drainage ditch.

[Kiwi battler]

Drainage ditch = water hazard = no free drop .....if the committee has done its job

[gbower]

I never said it was a ditch but they're used to help with drainage. On one of the hills they're beside the cart path to help avoid washouts. French drains have stones and we allow free relief from french drains.

[dhacker1956]

If so that should be drop!!!

[AAA]

The rocks are actually in a ditch for drainage.

I never said it was a ditch

That apart, how big are the rocks ?

[gbower]

The ones on the hill are quite large and the french drain ones are probably a max of 1" in size.

[BC MIST]

Are these rocks part of a construction of some sort ?
You can't have a Local Rule giving relief for Loose Impediments.

On one hole that GB may be referring to, the large, 2' boulders, were placed beside a cart path and are there as a barrier to prevent golfers from driving power carts through the garden like area. Technically, I suppose they would be loose impediments, however, because of there intended purpose, we labeled them as immovable obstructions.