Do I Get Relief From This?

[ChetlovesMer]

On Tuesday I was playing alone and missed the 5th green at Arrowhead Lakes to the left. The ball hit the cart path and bounced nearly onto the 6th tee box. 

It was lying near the cart path and near one of those signs that a lot of golf courses have which show the length of the hole from different tee boxes and a little map of what the hole looks like. 

The sign was right in my way. I could not hit a normal lob wedge toward the flag. ... A shot by the way that I'm pretty comfortable with. 

Instead I opened the face of my 60 degree wedge and tried to hit an abnormally high flopper over the sign to the green. The ball caught the bunker and and things went badly from there. 

My question is: Would I have been eligible for relief from the sign? 

I know that Immovable obstructions are artificial objects that are on the course for a good reason but aren't meant to interfere with the playing of our game. If an immovable obstruction interferes with your lie, stance and/or swing then you're eligible for free relief. BUUUUUTTTTTT...  The sign didn't interfere with my lie, stance or swing. It only interfered with the trajectory and normal flight of the ball had I hit the shot I'm comfortable with. 

So, I didn't take relief because I didn't think I was eligible for it.
Was I right? 

 

[DaveP043]

You were right, sad to say.  Without any local rule in effect, you only get free relief for line of play when you ball is on the putting green.

[ChetlovesMer]

10 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

You were right, sad to say.  Without any local rule in effect, you only get free relief for line of play when you ball is on the putting green.

That's what I figured. 

Thanks. 
Good news is I made the correct call. Bad news is I didn't hit a very good shot. 🤪

[StuM]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

You were right, sad to say.  Without any local rule in effect, you only get free relief for line of play when you ball is on the putting green.

So when we see a tour player get relief from a TV tower is that because it is not a normal part of the course while the hole marker above is a normal part of the course?

[DaveP043]

10 minutes ago, StuM said:

So when we see a tour player get relief from a TV tower is that because it is not a normal part of the course while the hole marker above is a normal part of the course?

It is because the tour allows relief under model local rule F-23, for Temporary Immovable Obstructions.  Without that local rule, they wouldn't get relief either.

[saevel25]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

It is because the tour allows relief under model local rule F-23, for Temporary Immovable Obstructions.  Without that local rule, they wouldn't get relief either.

I think this is fair because they are bringing in objects not normally on the course, like those hole signs, or maybe a random maintenance building. 

I had this situation in a tournament a few months ago. A competitor hit his ball just behind a building on the course. It wasn't something like a weather safety building, but an old shack that just sits between two holes. The scorecard, nor any local rules handed out mentioned that building for line of site relief. He had to play his ball as it lies since it didn't interfere with his golf swing. I think that was the correct call. 

[ChetlovesMer]

8 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

It is because the tour allows relief under model local rule F-23, for Temporary Immovable Obstructions.  Without that local rule, they wouldn't get relief either.

Yeah, so Happy should have gotten relief from the tower that fell on the green.🤪