bridge in my backswing

[heyscuba]

there was bridge in my backswing, my club would hit the rail on my backswing,... my ball was outside the hazard, the biridge was inside the hazard,... do I get relief,... and a free drop 1 club leghth,..? or do I have to take a stroke and get to move it 2 club lengths,...?

either way, can I move straight back on a line from the pin,...? or stay within the club lengths?

scuba

[chingali]

It's an unusual circumstance. I may be wrong but I'd be happy to proceed as if the bridge were an immovable obstruction see below. If you had access to a rules official I'd be asking for a ruling on this one to make sure everyone was happy, otherwise I'd play out one ball from where it lay and play out another ball treating the bridge as an immovable obstruction and record both scores and present the situation to the match committee at the completion of the round. Can't get yourself in to any trouble doing this!

24-2. Immovable Obstruction

a. Interference
Interference by an immovable obstruction occurs when a ball lies in or on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player's stance or the area of his intended swing. If the player's ball lies on the putting green, interference also occurs if an immovable obstruction on the putting green intervenes on his line of putt. Otherwise, intervention on the line of play is not, of itself, interference under this Rule.

b. Relief
Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an immovable obstruction as follows:

(i) Through the Green:If the ball lies through the green, the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.

[heyscuba]

It's an unusual circumstance. I may be wrong but I'd be happy to proceed as if the bridge were an immovable obstruction see below. If you had access to a rules official I'd be asking for a ruling on this one to make sure everyone was happy, otherwise I'd play out one ball from where it lay and play out another ball treating the bridge as an immovable obstruction and record both scores and present the situation to the match committee at the completion of the round. Can't get yourself in to any trouble doing this!

Thank you,... I'm not sure I get it, but thanks,...

[chingali]

Also keep in mind that I am just assuming that the bridge would be an immovable obstruction as they generally are. For further clarification you can check the scorecard as most courses will have them listed.

The following is an example from the back of a scorecard I am looking at:

5. IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS. Staked trees, Windmill, Pump Motor, Bridges, Protective Screens, Sponsor Signs, Sand Boxes.

Sometimes too a course will have temporary immovable obstructions in place in which case they will usually be noted on a board outside the starters box or on the proshop wall or similar. And if you are playing in a decent sized tournament information on temporary immovable instructions is handed to you at the tournament briefing and it'll include things like grandstands, sponsors tents and if it's a really big tournament it might include tv towers, tv vans and that sort of thing.

[heyscuba]

Also keep in mind that I am just assuming that the bridge would be an immovable obstruction as they generally are. For further clarification you can check the scorecard as most courses will have them listed.

Even I know this,... The bridge is in the hazard,... no relief,.... period,... whether he or is ball is out of the hazard,...

[beisenhauer]

The rule says nothing about whether the obstruction lies in or outside of a hazard, only that if the ball lies outside of the hazard the player may take relief.

[tjy355]

I was unable to find a decision dealing with this issue, but i did find this info in the "FAQ" at:

http://www.usga.org/questions/faqs/r...idx=97&Rule;=24

"Rule 24-2

Relief from Immovable Obstructions when Ball in Water Hazard

Q. Joanne`s ball lies in a water hazard. She also has interference from an immovable obstruction. Is she entitled to relief without penalty from the obstruction?

A. No. When a ball is in a water hazard, a player is not entitled to relief without penalty from an immovable obstruction that is in or out of the water hazard. The ball must be played as it lies or the player may proceed under Rule 26-1. However, if the ball lies outside the water hazard and the immovable obstruction lies in the water hazard, a player may take relief under Rule 24-2. (See Note 1 under Rule 24-2). "

[chingali]

Even I know this,...

Must be a rather odd sort of bridge then if it actually ends inside the hazard, usually part of the structure of the bridge will extend out past the edge of the hazard and I am assuming that this would be the part of the bridge interfering with the persons backswing. If you have a look at a lot of scorecards you will quite often see that bridges are listed as immovable obstructions despite obviously having the main part of their structure within a hazard.

Like I said in my original post if in doubt play out two balls, the original and another one after taking whatever relief you think you are entitled to and record the scores then hand the decision over to the match committee.