4/16/2025 - Mission Trails

Whenever my ball goes into a concrete drainage ditch, I check the scorecard for a local rule. Sometimes courses give free relief from a man-made drainage ditch (Twin Oaks comes to mind).  At Mission Trails, the scorecard indicates that they are treated as a lateral hazard.

That's all well and good, but can I get relief for my stance if my ball is not in the penalty area, but the concrete drainage ditch impacts my stance or swing?

Rule #17.3 is very clear that you do not get relief from an abnormal course condition if your ball is in the penalty area.  But I couldn't find anything explicit in the rules about getting relief when the ball is not in the penalty area.

So my interpretation is that you can take relief from a drainage ditch if your ball is not in the drainage ditch, but the ditch interferes with your stance or swing.  I could be wrong?

Two related rules that I often see people get wrong:

• Taking relief from a boundary fence.  If an internal fence interferes with your stance or swing, then you are entitled to free relief.  This is not the case for a boundary fence (Definition of Boundary Object)
• Obstruction interferes with line of play.  If it's not interfering with your stance or swing, you don't get relief (Rule #16.1a).  You do get relief for this on the putting green.

 

4/4/2025 - Oaks North

Growing up playing soccer, I was always aware that in that sport, the entire ball must be across the entire line for it to be a goal.  I'm not so clear on golf.  Is the ball below teed properly in the teeing ground?

The definition of teeing area says that it includes up to the front of the markers, and the outside of the markers.  But does the entire ball have to be in the teeing area?  There's a nice diagram included as part of Rule #6.2b. and the rule explicitly states that any part of the ball in (or above) the teeing area counts.

So the ball below is okay.

Similarly, when is a ball on the green?  Rule #13.1a says that a ball is on the green if any part of it touches the putting green.  But it also says to see Rule #2.2c if the ball is touching the green, and another area of the course.  Rule #2.2 clarifies that if the ball is in a specific area, that takes precedence over the general area.  And then goes further to set the precedence of the specific areas of the course - penalty area, bunker, putting green.  I don't think the specific areas often border each other directly, but I guess I have seen bunkers that are up against a penalty area.  So if you're in both the bunker, and in the penalty area, then you are in the penalty area.

And finally, when is a ball out of bounds?  Rule #18.2a covers ball out of bounds, and there is a nice diagram.  A ball is in bounds if any part of the ball touches in bounds.  But unlike the teeing area, you use the inside of the stakes, or the inside part of the line to make this determination.