Moving an Immovable Obstruction

[Dick Kusleika]

A green is surrounded on three sides by water, the path is between the green and the penalty area, and between the path and the penalty area is a rope.

The rope looks like this

No stakes to define the penalty area. Players ball lies between the rope and the path.  I say the player's ball is not in the penalty area. In the absence of stakes, it's where the ground starts to slope toward the water. Is that correct? If so, he's entitled to relief from the rope. The relief options stink. The NPR is on the path and relief from the path puts him in the tall grass on a pretty severe slope. So he wants to play it as it lies.

The rope limits the golfer to a 1/4 back swing. Another golfer holds the rope up allowing for 1/2 back swing. I looked it up later because I didn't know, but it appears that according to 8.1a, a player can't move, bend or break any immovable obstruction. That seems to be what happened here. Everyone was interested if that was the right ruling so I said I'd post it here. Is violation of 8.1a and the general penalty right?

Thanks

[Rulesman]

26 minutes ago, Dick Kusleika said:

I looked it up later because I didn't know, but it appears that according to 8.1a, a player can't move, bend or break any immovable obstruction.

Check the definition of Moveable Obstruction.

[Dick Kusleika]

Thanks.

Quote

 

An obstruction that can be moved with reasonable effort and without damaging the obstruction or the course.

If part of an immovable obstruction or integral object (such as a gate or door or part of an attached cable) meets these two standards, that part is treated as a movable obstruction.

 

The rope is a movable obstruction and they were OK to play it as they did. Appreciate the help.