We don’t see that very often but the PGA Tour, decided to put an Out of Bounds between Hole # 18 and # 10 because they did not want the players to cut the corner on # 18 and play their second shot from the 10th fairway.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me. https://www.pgatour.com/news/2021/01/14/ob-stakes-added-overnight-at-sony-open-in-hawaii.html
REMINDER: The players could not receive a free relief from the white stakes in playing the 18th hole, but a local rule provided a free relief for those same stakes in playing the 10th hole.
Also, when there is a protective net on a driving range, we often put into effect a local rule giving free relief for the line of play.
ANSWERS ON RULE 15 (PART 1)
RELIEF FROM A LOOSE IMPEDIMENT AND A MOVABLE OBSTRUCTION
15.1 The player’s ball lies on a leaf. The player knows that the ball will move if he removes the leaf. He marks the ball in order to identify it, removes the leaf and replaces the ball. He makes his next stroke. What is the decision?
Answer 15.1: Under Rule 15.1a, A player must not deliberately remove a loose impediment that, if moved when the ball was at rest, would have been likely to have caused the ball to move. In this case, the player will be penalized one stroke.
15.2 A big tree branch is near the player’s ball. He asks spectators to help him remove the branch. Is there a penalty?
Answer 15.2: If the removable of the loose impediment does not delay play, the player may ask for help from anyone.
15.3 Instead of removing the branch, the player decides to break the branch and removes a part of it. What is the ruling?
Answer 15.3: Under Interpretation 15.1a/2, A player is allowed to break off a part of any loose impediment.
15.4 A player removes a leaf, and the ball moves. On the same hole, he removes a rake and the ball moves. What are the penalties?
Answer 15.4: If the ball moves when a loose impediment is moved, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke and must replace the ball. If the ball moves after the removal of a movable obstruction, there is no penalty, but the ball must be replaced.
15.5 A ball lies on a towel. What are the player’s options?
Answer 15.5: The player may play the ball where it lies. If he chooses to take relief, he can pick up the ball, remove the towel and drop a ball inside one club length from the reference point. That point is approximately under where the ball was positioned.
QUESTIONS ON RULE 15 (Part 2)
BALL-MARKER HELPING OR INTERFERING WITH PLAY
15.6 Before making a stroke on his ball lying a few yards from the green, Player A askes Player B to leave his ball in place near the hole because it may help him. Is there a penalty?
15.7 The ball of player A is 30 yards from the green. Player’s B ball is on the fringe of the green. Player B wants to mark his ball, because he thinks it might interfere with Player’s A stroke. Player A does not want Player B to spend time on marking his ball. What is the proper decision?
15.8 The ball of player C is on the fringe of the green. He must mark his ball because Player D is saying that the ball could interferes with his shot. He marks the ball and before replacing it, he cleans it. What is the ruling?
15.9 The ball of player F is a few yards from the green. Player E says to player F that he wants to mark his ball near the hole because he thinks it might help player F. Player E does not have time to mark his ball because Player F decides to make the stroke. Is there a penalty? Even if the ball of player F does not touch the ball of player E?