Could I have taken relief?

[cnl390]

What was the proper way to play this lie?  Relief w/ no penalty, drop w/ penalty or play it where it lies?

 

[Golfingdad]

LOL - well that's an unfortunate break!

If you drop it, you'd have to take a penalty (unless you can find a working sprinkler head in the trunk of that tree ) so what I try to do is compare the shot after the drop to the likely shot after hitting it from the tree.  I doubt I'd be able to advance it from there or get to a fairway, so I'd take the unplayable penalty and drop, and play for my bogey.

[Rulesman]

Remember, if you choose to drop within 2 club lengths, then it is measured from the ball not the edge if the tree (and not nearer the hole).

Edited January 19, 2017 by Rulesman

[Hatchman]

I know I could not play it.  Relief from the spot of ball for me and hopefully a decent path to the hole and not back into the tree. 

[iacas]

Play it as it lies (except for OB, GUR with mandatory relief, wrong putting greens, and ESAs… I think those are the only times you have mandatory relief), or take a drop within two clublengths of the ball no closer to the hole, or anywhere on a line from the ball through the hole (backward), or re-play the original shot.

Play it as it lies or take an unplayable.

I have seen cases where a grounds crew will mark trees as GUR when they're in the process of cutting them down, but that one's been that way for awhile…

[CarlSpackler]

Take a drop and go raise hell in the pro shop. 

[iacas]

4 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

Take a drop and go raise hell in the pro shop. 

Why? If that was still a tree you wouldn't, and a full tree is far more penal.

[CarlSpackler]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

Why? If that was still a tree you wouldn't, and a full tree is far more penal.

Because that one that appears to be half cut down with a big gash in it that can trap balls seen above. 

[David in FL]

14 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

Because that one that appears to be half cut down with a big gash in it that can trap balls seen above. 

Then don't hit it there.  

[CarlSpackler]

27 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Then don't hit it there.  

If I could manage that, my HCI would be a whole lot lower. 

[iacas]

3 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

Because that one that appears to be half cut down with a big gash in it that can trap balls seen above. 

So?

Like a bush? Or another tree?

[CarlSpackler]

4 minutes ago, iacas said:

So?

Like a bush? Or another tree?

If they want it there, that's fine. It seems odd to keep a fallen tree sitting there.

[Golfingdad]

I'm not so sure that tree isn't part of the one behind it.

[David in FL]

1 hour ago, Golfingdad said:

I'm not so sure that tree isn't part of the one behind it.

Agree.  I think that's all one tree...

[Lastpick]

I like the character of the tree.  It would be helpful to know the location of the tree in relationship to the intended path of play.

[cnl390]

17 minutes ago, Lastpick said:

I like the character of the tree.  It would be helpful to know the location of the tree in relationship to the intended path of play.

The tree was just to the left of the fairway in the first cut.

[Lastpick]

14 minutes ago, cnl390 said:

The tree was just to the left of the fairway in the first cut.

I say the tree is good where it is at.  Kind of interesting.

[6Aces]

On 2017-01-19 at 11:43 AM, Golfingdad said:

 

If you drop it, you'd have to take a penalty (unless you can find a working sprinkler head in the trunk of that tree ) so what I try to do is compare the shot after the drop to the likely shot after hitting it from the tree. 

Your statement in bold suggests that, hypothetically, if there was a sprinkler head in the tree, (or perhaps some other abnormal ground condition or immovable obstruction) that you would be entitled to free relief.

The exceptions in 24-1b and 25-1b indicate that you would not get free relief.