Relief from Staked Tree.

Mr. Larson

Quick rules question.

If my ball is sitting about 1.5 yards directly behind a staked tree which is in a direct line between the ball and the green but the staked tree does not interfere with my swing, (my interpretation of this is that I won't strike the tree with the club as I swing) although I am pretty sure to strike the tree with the ball if I pay the shot, [it's a 5 foot tree] am I entitled to relief or must I play it as it is? I guess I need to know what the criteria for interference with swing is...

Thanks in advance.

Mister Sifter

Relief from a staked tree is a local rule so would depend on which club, but i'm fairly certain you can only take relief if it affects your swing or stance.

OilBeefHooked2

+1
Afaik the rule only applys to the swing and not the intended line of play.

Mr. Larson

Ok thanks folks - local rule is just 1 club-length from nearest point of relief, says nothing about the line so that clears that one up. Thanks again.

PhilipMarlowe

Yep, usually it's swing or stance and is a local rule printed on the card (sometimes posted on a noticeboard)....
I often see people trying to get relief from the staked trees by moving out to the edge of the group of trees, not necessarily taking the nearest point of relief.
As in, a right hander hits it into the trees on the left of the fairway, there's a staked tree on the edge of some more mature trees, and he tries to drop out to the right, even though his nearest point of relief from the staked tree may be further left into trouble.... It's just something a lot of golfers don't understand rather than a desire to cheat

Sandwich

Licksy wrote: »

Yep, usually it's swing or stance and is a local rule printed on the card (sometimes posted on a noticeboard)....
I often see people trying to get relief from the staked trees by moving out to the edge of the group of trees, not necessarily taking the nearest point of relief.
As in, a right hander hits it into the trees on the left of the fairway, there's a staked tree on the edge of some more mature trees, and he tries to drop out to the right, even though his nearest point of relief from the staked tree may be further left into trouble.... It's just something a lot of golfers don't understand rather than a desire to cheat

Does the same apply if the nearest point of relief is in water? i.e. you should drop your ball into the water (since in theory you could wade in and play it, and are out of way of the tree), then take the relief from the water applying appropriate penalty for having 'hit' it into the water?

In reality, forcing you to play the ball as it lies, and so be unable to get relief from the stacked tree. (unless its a local rule that you MUST take relief from stacked trees).

FlutterinBantam

Water isn't relief,so that scenario is not valid.

Solid ground is what you are looking for.

The staked tree thing.

Find a spot nearest to where your ball lay,where the tree does not interfere with your stance or swing.

You then have one club relief from that spot to drop your ball and play your shot

Goodluck2me

If they are close enough to the tree i see people take an unnatural stance so that it does affect their swing, even though they could in reality hit the ball without if they swung normally, any penalites against this?