Free drop..... then not!

[reedf]

Let's see if my rules interperetation was correct..... 165yd par 3. Pulled my shot and landed on the left slope of a large mound on the left of the green, which of course launched my ball further left! It hit the cart path and then a closed gate where it came to rest (on the cart path and against the gate). I think I get free relief from the cart path and/or gate, but the rules state that I take the CLOSEST point of relief off of the cart path which puts me in dense woods and gives me an unplayable lie. Too bad, that's the closest point? 2 club lengths and a penalty stroke. Well, 2 club lengths is still on the cart path! My understanding is that a drop for an unplayable is different than a drop from a hazard (from a hazard you drop twice then place). You only get to drop once and play it from wherever it ends up??? (this would likely put me back where I started). The other drop option should be on a line from the flag, which puts me deeper in the woods. 3rd option is go back to the tee. Was this correct or could I have somehow gotten to the other side of the cart path?

[Fourputt]

I think you covered all of the bases there.  Was the gate part of the course boundary?  Not that it really matter that much, but you would not be entitled to relief from the cart path (immovable obstruction) if the gate was part of the boundary and it made any stroke impracticable.  You don't get relief from a boundary fence.  Note "a" under this exception to Rule 24-2b says:

Exception: A player may not take relief under this Rule if (a) interference by anything other than an immovable obstruction makes the stroke clearly impracticable or (b) interference by an immovable obstruction would occur only through use of a clearly unreasonable stroke or an unnecessarily abnormal stance, swing or direction of play.

It sounds like your only practical option was to retee the ball anyway, so the status of the gate may be immaterial here, but maybe for future reference... .

[reedf]

Thanks! Thats what I was thinking. While looking around I did find this ruling decision which I could have used and tried to save the penalty stroke. Another thing to keep in mind I guess. I think this would also apply to the gate. (which was not a boundary, just an access for course maintenance)

14-1/5

Q. A player's ball lies against a board at the base of an out of bounds fence. He swings a club from the out of bounds side of the fence against the board, i.e., swings at the ball with the board intervening between the club and the ball. The stroke moves the board which causes the ball to move away from the fence. Is such a stroke permissible?

A. Yes. The player fairly struck at the ball even though other material intervened between the club and the ball. The Definition of "Out of Bounds" allows a player to "stand out of bounds to play a ball lying within bounds."