Rules Discussion�Abnormal Course Conditions

May 30, 2024

Temporary Water

Any temporary accumulation of water on the

surface of the ground (such as puddles from rain or irrigation or an overflow from a body of water) that:

• Is not in a penalty area
• Can be seen before or after

a player takes a stance

(without pressing down

excessively with their feet)

Special Cases:

• Dew and Frost are not temporary water
• Snow and Natural Ice (other than frost), are either loose impediments or, when on the ground, temporary water, at the player’s option
• Manufactured Ice is an

obstruction

Animal Holes

Any hole dug in the ground by an animal, except for holes dug by animals that are also defined as loose impediments (such as worms or insects).

The term includes:

• The loose material the animal dug

out of the hole

• Any worn-down track or trail

leading into the hole

• Any area on the ground pushed

up or altered as a result of the animal

digging the hole underground

Immovable Obstructions

IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS are ARTIFICIAL OBJECTS which, though they may be present for a good reason, are not meant to interfere with your playing of the game.

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Immovable Obstructions a golfer

could encounter during a round

Include things permanently

fixed in place like cart paths and

sprinkler heads.

Ground Under Repair (GUR)

Any part of the course the Committee defines to be GUR (whether by marking it or otherwise). And defined GUR includes both:

• All ground inside the edge of the defined area, and

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• Any grass, bush, tree or other natural

object rooted in the defined

area that extends up above the

ground outside the edge of the

defined area (but not when

such object is attached to or

below the ground outside the

edge of the defined area, such

as a tree root that is part of a tree rooted inside the edge.

GUR includes the following whether or not defined by the committee:

• Any hole made by the maintenance staff in setting up or maintaining the course , but not including aeration holes.
• Any animal habitat (like a nest) that the player’s stroke or stance might damage EXCEPT when made by an animal defined as a loose impediment (such as worms or insects).
• Grass cuttings, leaves and any other material piled for later removal. BUT:
• Any natural materials that are

piled for later removal are also

loose impediments

• Any materials left on the course

that are not intended to be

removed are NOT GUR unless

the committee defined them

as such.

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Meaning of Interference by Abnormal Course Condition

• Interference exists when any one of these is true:
• The Player’s ball touches or is in or on an abnormal course condition,
• An abnormal course condition physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing, or
• When on the putting green ONLY,

an abnormal course condition

on or off the putting green

intervenes on the line of play.

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Relief Allowed Anywhere on Course Except when Ball is in Penalty Area.

Relief is allowed when BOTH of the following conditions are met:

1. The abnormal course condition is on the course (not out of bounds), and
2. The ball is anywhere on the

course, except in a penalty

area.

No Relief When Clearly Unreasonable to Play Ball. There is no relief under Rule 16.1:

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• When playing the ball as it lies would be clearly unreasonable because of something from which the player is not allowed to take free relief (such as when a player is unable to make a stroke because of where the ball lies in a bush), or

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• When interference exists only because a player chooses a club, type of stance or swing or direction of play that is clearly

unreasonable under the circumstances.

Relief Area when the player’s ball is in the general area and there is interference by an abnormal course condition on the course:

Reference Point: The nearest point of complete relief in the general area

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Size of Relief Area Measured from the Reference Point: One Club-length, but with

these limits:

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- Must be in the general area

- Must not be nearer the hole than

the reference point, and

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- There must be COMPLETE relief from all interference by the abnormal course

condition.

Nearest Point of Complete Relief

The shortest distance from the ball’s current

location, not closer to the hole, and in the

general area.

Relief for Ball in Bunker: when the player’s ball is in the bunker and there is interference by an abnormal course condition on the course, the player may take either free relief or penalty relief:

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Free Relief: Playing from the bunker

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- The nearest point of complete relief and

the relief area MUST be in the bunker

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• If there is no nearest point of complete

relief in the bunker, the player may still

still take this relief by using the point of

maximum available relief in the bunker as the reference point.

Relief for Ball in Bunker: when the player’s ball is in the bunker and there is interference by an abnormal course condition on the course, the player may take either free relief or penalty relief:

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Penalty Relief: Playing from outside the bunker (Back-on-the-line Relief).

FOR ONE PENALTY STROKE

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• The relief area must not be nearer the

hole than the spot of the original

ball

• May be in any area of the course

except the bunker, BUT

- Must be in the same are of the course that the ball first touched when dropped.

Relief for Ball on Putting Green: when the player’s ball is on the putting green and there is interference by an abnormal course condition, the player may take free relief by PLACING the original ball or another ball on the spot of the nearest point of complete relief.

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• The nearest point of complete relief

must be either on the putting green or

in the general area.

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• If there is no such point of complete

relief, the player may still take this

relief by using the point of maximum available relief as the reference point, which

must be either on the putting green or in the general area.

This rule DOES NOT give relief from boundary objects or

Integral objects.

Boundary Objects are Artificial objects

defining or showing out of bounds, such as

walls, fences, stakes and railings, from which

free relief is not allowed.

This includes any base and post of a boundary

fence, but does not include:

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• Angled supports or guy wires that are

attached to a wall or fence, or

• Any steps, bridge or similar construction

used for getting over the wall or fence.

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However …..

Integral Object

• An artificial object defined by the Committee as part of the challenge of playing the course from which free relief is not allowed.
• Integral objects are treated as immovable.
• They are NOT obstructions or

boundary objects.

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• Like boundary objects, any

attached gate/door/cable can

be treated as a movable obstructions.

Dangerous Animal Condition

• A “dangerous animal condition” exists when a dangerous animal (such as venomous snakes, stinging bees, alligators, fire ants or bears) near a ball could cause serious physical injury to the player if they had to play the ball as it lies.
• A player may take relief under from interference by a dangerous animal condition

no matter where their ball is on

the course.

• This Rule does not apply to

other situations on the course

that could cause physical harm

(such as a cactus).

• �

Taking Relief

• Anywhere EXCEPT Penalty Area: taking free relief just as we’ve described for abnormal course conditions
• In Penalty Area:
• Free Relief – nearest point of

complete relief AND the relief

area must stay in the penalty

area

• Penalty Relief – one stroke

penalty and take relief as you

normally would for red penalty area.

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NO RELIEF WHEN CLEARLY UNREASONABLE TO PLAY THE BALL.

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Embedded Ball

• When a player’s ball is in its OWN pitch mark made as a result of the player’s previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground.

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• A ball does not necessarily have to

touch soil to be embedded

(for example, grass and loose

impediments may be

between the ball and the soil)

A Ball is NOT embedded if below the ground because of one of the following:

When is Relief Allowed from Embedded Ball?

• Relief is ONLY allowed when ball is embedded in the general area.
• On the putting green, the player may mark the ball, repair the damage and then replace it on its original spot.

Taking Relief for Embedded Ball

Reference Point: The spot in the general area right behind where the ball is embedded.

Size of Relief Area: One club length, but with these limits:

- must be in the general area

- must not be nearer the hole

than the reference point