Landscaping ruling

[Pete Beau]

I had a ball land in a plant with in landscaped area. It was unplayable and my fellow group golfers stated that I get a free drop out of the landscaped area. I didn’t agree with them, dropped the ball within two club lengths from the nearest point of relief- no closer to the hole, took one penalty stroke, and played on. The score card didn’t have any notes regarding landscaped areas.

Comments? Thanks.

[Dent]

Im pretty sure landscaped areas are a free lift. I know things that have to grow like nursery and such are free lifts, i think landscaping would be classified as ground under repair and would result in a free lift.

[lamebums]

I had a ball land in a plant with in landscaped area. It was unplayable and my fellow group golfers stated that I get a free drop out of the landscaped area. I didn’t agree with them, dropped the ball within two club lengths from the nearest point of relief- no closer to the hole, took one penalty stroke, and played on. The score card didn’t have any notes regarding landscaped areas.

Landscaping is a man-made object (immovable obstruction). Just like a cart path, you get relief from that with no penalty.

[iacas]

Landscaping is a man-made object (immovable obstruction). Just like a cart path, you get relief from that with no penalty.

No, it's not: a bunch of flowers, tree bark, bushes, and soil does not qualify as "man-made," and "man made" doesn't even appear in the definitions of the Rules of Golf.

If the scorecard says you get a free drop (some make such drops mandatory), you do under the local rules. If there's no such local rule, you play it as it lies. My home course has a local rule that says, well, just look: http://www.lakeviewcc.com/imgs/course/scorecard.jpg

[lamebums]

No, it's not: a bunch of flowers, tree bark, bushes, and soil does not qualify as "man-made," and "man made" doesn't even appear in the definitions of the Rules of Golf.

Although flowers and such are naturally growing, the stones usually surrounding the gardens are not, unless a local rule says otherwise. That's what I'm getting at.

[iacas]

Although flowers and such are naturally growing, the stones usually surrounding the gardens are not, unless a local rule says otherwise. That's what I'm getting at.

Stones are not man-made either. Again, unless a local rule permits or allows for a free drop, you play it as it lies.

[scotton]

A lot of courses down here have the "native areas" or "environmental something or others". Some courses play them as a lateral hazard (mine) while others play them as a free drop. Either way, I wouldn't walk into one without a pistol or shotgun. Coyotes and bobcats and snakes, oh my. If your course is planting flowers or an herb garden, then like the man said, they are in play unless covered by a local rule or staked as a hazard.

[iacas]

A lot of courses down here have the "native areas" or "environmental something or others". Some courses play them as a lateral hazard (mine) while others play them as a free drop. Either way, I wouldn't walk into one without a pistol or shotgun. Coyotes and bobcats and snakes, oh my. If your course is planting flowers or an herb garden, then like the man said, they are in play unless covered by a local rule or staked as a hazard.

It's important to note, too, that some courses have "environmentally sensitive areas" (ESAs). I think the stakes are green with a white top. You're not even allowed to (or supposed to anyway) go into them to retrieve your ball let alone play from them. That's a mandatory drop (and penalty).

I forget which course it was at but I think it was two years ago or maybe even last year in the U.S. Women's Amateur and one of the par threes in particular had an ESA behind it and water in front. Many players found the ESA and chose to play again (their third) from the tee.

[scotton]

Them things is what I was talkin bout. Gotta keep that dadgum ole en-vire-on-ment safe. I believe it's Texas Star in Euless that has the ESAs that are a free drop. The areas at my course are called Native Areas and are a lateral. You can hit out of them if you want to, but you don't want to.