Ground Under Repair on Green, Ball in Fringe

[gbogey]

Curious about this situation today although in the end it didn’t matter. My ball rolled onto the fringe just beyond the green. Normally from where I was I would have putted, but there was a gur on the green right in my path. Could I take relief? I know I could if my ball was on the green and I know I couldn’t if the gur hadn’t been on the green, but couldn’t find this ruling. 

[iacas]

Your ball was off the green, so, did the GUR affect your lie, stance, or area of swing? Or did you merely want to putt through it?

No relief.

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules/rules-2019/rules-of-golf/rules-and-interpretations.html#!ruletype=fr&section=rule&rulenum=16&subrulenum=1

Quote

a. When Relief Is Allowed

(1) 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

• Only when the ball is on the putting green, an abnormal course condition on or off the putting green intervenes on the line of play.

If your ball wasn't on the putting green, only bullet points 1 and 2 apply.

[gbogey]

Thanks. That’s what I figured but it seems counter to the rule’s intent. 

[Asheville]

4 hours ago, gbogey said:

Thanks. That’s what I figured but it seems counter to the rule’s intent. 

Absent any Local Rule about IO's near the putting green, where else apart from a ball on the putting green would you expect line of play relief?

[gbogey]

It would seem to me that if the intent of the rule is to provide "line of relief" from the putting green, then that relief should be available whether one is on the green or not if it is obvious that the "GUR" is in the line of play.  In my case, whether I wanted to putt from off the green or chip the ball, the "GUR" was clearly interfering with my line to the hole.  I think that the intent of the "GUR" rule is to provide relief in this situation, but rules are rules I guess.

[Vinsk]

40 minutes ago, gbogey said:

I think that the intent of the "GUR" rule is to provide relief in this situation,

Well it is..as it pertains to affecting your stance or swing.

[iacas]

58 minutes ago, gbogey said:

It would seem to me that if the intent of the rule is to provide "line of relief" from the putting green, then that relief should be available whether one is on the green or not if it is obvious that the "GUR" is in the line of play.  In my case, whether I wanted to putt from off the green or chip the ball, the "GUR" was clearly interfering with my line to the hole.  I think that the intent of the "GUR" rule is to provide relief in this situation, but rules are rules I guess.

No, the intent is to provide relief when you’re on the green.

If you’re off the green where would you stop allowing relief? The fairway? Rough? 20 yards? 120?

[Piz]

You are not entitled to relief merely because the GUR is between your ball and the hole.  The situation is no different than one in which a sprinkler head was in your line and you opted to chip instead of putt.  Hard cheese old son.

[DrvFrShow]

On 9/9/2019 at 7:56 PM, Piz said:

You are not entitled to relief merely because the GUR is between your ball and the hole.  The situation is no different than one in which a sprinkler head was in your line and you opted to chip instead of putt.  Hard cheese old son.

That sprinkler head one is a different animal. Check local rules at your courses. You might be entitled to relief if it is in your line around the putting green at some courses.