rule help: hitting into a parallel hazard/tree root drop

[gottaplay]

I got a few rule questions

1) about hitting into a paralel hazard. I hit into the water of a red-staked hazard which was on the far left on a par 5. The guy I was playing with said I could drop as far back as I wanted along the original path of my ball which made it possible to drop on the fairway. Is this really right? I thought you could drop as far back but only on a straight line from the pin to where your ball went out? If there's red-staked water behind the green and I hit it directly over the flag into the water, then wouldn't this rule allow me to drop right on the hole? Anyone who knows for sure, please clarify.

2) when my ball is under a tree (in bounds) and sitting nestled against a root, one of my playing partners said I could drop within a scorecards distance from the root so I could have a playable shot for NO penalty. It didn't seem right but he seemed to know more golf than me (I've been playing about 3 months). please clarify and thanks for the time.

[Old Tom]

As to question 1:

The official (USGA) rules of golf state:

"Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped"

So your friend was sort of not correct - it's not along the "original path of the ball". As to the situation where you go over the green into water behind the green, the "no nearer the hole" provision would preclude your dropping the ball on the hole.

As to question 2:

I believe you get no relief from tree roots unless they're deemed an unmoveable obstruction by some local rule. I will, however, lift and place my ball around tree roots or exposed limestone deposits (which we actually have on some of the fairways on my home course...nice, huh?) simply because it's not worth breaking my club or my wrists hitting off of that stuff in a friendly round.

[NM Golf]

I got a few rule questions

Old Tom stated the correct rule, let me clarify. First its not a paralel water hazard it is a lateral water hazard. If you hit your ball into a

lateral water hazard you have 3 choices. 1. Play a ball as near as possible to the place the original ball was played. 2. Drop a ball behind the water hazard keeping the spot where the ball entered the hazard directly between you and the flagstick. 3. Drop a ball outside the hazard within two club links of the place where it entered the hazard, no closer to the hole. Keep in mind that the last choice (#3) is only available for Lateral water hazards defined by red stakes. As far as the other rule goes, you get no relief from tree roots under USGA rules. What you do in your own group is your own business. I personally won't risk hurting myself hitting from a root, so I either take the penalty stroke, deem the ball unplayable and take relief, or I putt it out of trouble. Here is a link to the rules of golf online

[gottaplay]

Thanks guys for the help. oops on the "lateral" thing. haha, hopefully i won't be hitting into any "parallel" hazards soon.

I'll check out the rules site.

[golfchief]

You should get a new rules book every year. I belong to the USGA and every year I get a new rules book and a U.S. open hat for like $15.
Having a rule book will also help you beat other players when you explain the correct penality strokes they get.

[gottaplay]

Well, I don't know how popular it will make me with my golfing friends if I'm constantly flipping through the rulebook 4 feet behind them as they drop near a hazard. haha.

What I might do is get the rule book, and on my scorecard or somewhere else, mark down their "real" score giving them all the penalties they had for rule mistakes. Then some days or weeks later, when they talk about "that time they shot a 75", I'll tell them that according to USGA scoring they barely broke 100 that day. LOL

[iacas]

Well, I don't know how popular it will make me with my golfing friends if I'm constantly flipping through the rulebook 4 feet behind them as they drop near a hazard. haha.

You could do that. Or just inform them that they're breaking the rules when they break them, cuz in many rules instances, if you don't correct the situation, you're basically DQ. Though you can roughly estimate the penalty in strokes, usually...

[NM Golf]

You could do that. Or just inform them that they're breaking the rules when they break them, cuz in many rules instances, if you don't correct the situation, you're basically DQ. Though you can roughly estimate the penalty in strokes, usually...

Iacas is correct. If your buddies ever want to play in a real tournament they need to learn the rules. You don't neccessarily have to be a ass about it just simply tell them the rule and let them do with it what they want. Unfortunately, I have seen a lack of rules knowledge really hurt people in competition. I had a guy 2 years ago that improperly marked his ball, just a dumb mistake but it cost him. To me golf is much more fun if you know and play by the rules.