Rules of Golf - Rule 24: Obstructions
24-1. Movable Obstruction
A player may take relief without penalty from a movable obstruction as
follows:
a. If the ball does not lie in or on the obstruction, the obstruction
may be removed. If the ball moves, it must be replaced, and there is no
penalty provided that the movement of the ball is directly attributable
to the removal of the obstruction. Otherwise, Rule 18-2a applies.
b. If the ball lies in or on the obstruction, the ball may be lifted and
the obstruction removed. The ball must through the green or in a hazard
be dropped, or on the putting green be placed, as near as possible to
the spot directly under the place where the ball lay in or on the
obstruction, but not nearer the hole.
The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule.
When a ball is in motion, an obstruction that might influence the
movement of the ball, other than an attended flagstick or equipment of
the players, must not be removed.
(Exerting influence on ball — see Rule 1-2.)
Note: If a ball to be dropped or placed under this Rule is not
immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted.
24-2. Immovable Obstruction
g a. Interference
Interference by an immovable obstruction occurs when a ball lies in or
on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player’s
stance or the area of his intended swing. If the player’s ball lies on
the putting green, interference also occurs if an immovable obstruction
on the putting green intervenes on his line of putt. Otherwise,
intervention on the line of play is not, of itself, interference under
this Rule.
g b. Relief
Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a
player may take relief from interference by an immovable obstruction as
follows:
(i) Through the Green: If the ball lies through the green, the player
must lift the ball and drop it without penalty within one club-length of
and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest
point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the
ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief,
the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids
interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in a hazard and not
on a putting green.
(ii) In a Bunker: If the ball is in a bunker, the player must lift the
ball and drop it either:
(a) Without penalty, in accordance with Clause (i) above, except that
the nearest point of relief must be in the bunker and the ball must be
dropped in the bunker; or
(b) Under penalty of one stroke, outside the bunker keeping the point
where the ball lay directly between the hole and the spot on which the
ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the bunker the ball may
be dropped.
(iii) On the Putting Green: If the ball lies on the putting green, the
player must lift the ball and place it without penalty at the nearest
point of relief that is not in a hazard. The nearest point of relief may
be off the putting green.
(iv) On the Teeing Ground: If the ball lies on the teeing ground, the
player must lift the ball and drop it without penalty in accordance with
Clause (i) above.
The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule.
(Ball rolling to a position where there is interference by the condition
from which relief was taken — see Rule
20-2c(v).)
Exception: A player may not take relief under this Rule if (a) it is
clearly unreasonable for him to make a stroke because of interference by
anything other than an immovable obstruction or (b) interference by an
immovable obstruction would occur only through use of an unnecessarily
abnormal stance, swing or direction of play.
Note 1: If a ball is in a water hazard (including a lateral water
hazard), the player may not take relief from interference by an
immovable obstruction. The player must play the ball as it lies or
proceed under Rule 26-1.
Note 2: If a ball to be dropped or placed under this Rule is not
immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted.
Note 3: The Committee may make a Local Rule stating that the player must
determine the nearest point of relief without crossing over, through or
under the obstruction.
24-3. Ball Lost in Obstruction
It is a question of fact whether a ball lost after having been struck
toward an obstruction is lost in the obstruction. In order to treat the
ball as lost in the obstruction, there must be reasonable evidence to
that effect. In the absence of such evidence, the ball must be treated
as a lost ball and Rule 27 applies.
g a. Ball Lost in Movable Obstruction
If a ball is lost in a movable obstruction, a player may, without
penalty, remove the obstruction and must through the green or in a
hazard drop a ball, or on the putting green place a ball, as near as
possible to the spot directly under the place where the ball last
crossed the outermost limits of the movable obstruction, but not nearer
the hole.
g b. Ball Lost in Immovable Obstruction
If a ball is lost in an immovable obstruction, the spot where the ball
last crossed the outermost limits of the obstruction must be determined
and, for the purpose of applying this Rule, the ball is deemed to lie at
this spot and the player may take relief as follows:
(i) Through the Green: If the ball last crossed the outermost limits of
the immovable obstruction at a spot through the green, the player may
substitute another ball without penalty and take relief as prescribed in
Rule
24-2b(i).
(ii) In a Bunker: If the ball last crossed the outermost limits of the
immovable obstruction at a spot in a bunker, the player may substitute
another ball without penalty and take relief as prescribed in Rule
24-2b(ii).
(iii) In a Water Hazard (including a Lateral Water Hazard): If the ball
last crossed the outermost limits of the immovable obstruction at a spot
in a water hazard, the player is not entitled to relief without penalty.
The player must proceed under Rule 26-1.
(iv) On the Putting Green: If the ball last crossed the outermost limits
of the immovable obstruction at a spot on the putting green, the player
may substitute another ball without penalty and take relief as
prescribed in
Rule 24-2b(iii).
Penalty for Breach of Rule:
Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes.
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