Question about taking a drop.

[Northwoods88]

It's my first year playing so I'm not familiar with all the rules. I was playing by myself this morning, I try to follow the rules to the best of my knowledge but as a beginner I don't get to caught up in it. I hit a shot that landed in an area just off the fairway but was roped off with red paint circling it. I picked my ball up and dropped it just out side the rope, in the direction it entered, not towards the green. Do u have to take a penalty stroke for moving the ball or is it a free drop?

[DaveP043]

It sounds to me as if that area is "ground under repair."  Usually GUR is defined with white paint, red is reserved for lateral water hazards, but the ropes make me think that its GUR.  If indeed it is GUR, you can take free relief.  You should figure out where the nearest point of relief is, and drop within one clublength, without going closer to the hole.  The following link shows this

https://www.randa.org/RulesEquipment/Rules/QuickGuide/Relief-Situations-and-Procedures/Immovable-Obstructions-and-Abnormal-Ground-Conditions

If I'm wrong, and it actually IS a water hazard, you can play it with no penalty, or move it out of the hazard with a one stroke penalty.  You have a couple of options with a lateral hazard.  The R&A have a pretty clear explanation for those options here:

https://www.randa.org/RulesEquipment/Rules/QuickGuide/Relief-Situations-and-Procedures/Water-Hazards

Welcome to golf, I hope you enjoy it for a long time.  Its nice to see that you're taking an interest in playing within the rules so quickly into your golfing journey.

[Northwoods88]

6 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

It sounds to me as if that area is "ground under repair."  Usually GUR is defined with white paint, red is reserved for lateral water hazards, but the ropes make me think that its GUR.  If indeed it is GUR, you can take free relief.  You should figure out where the nearest point of relief is, and drop within one clublength, without going closer to the hole.  The following link shows this

https://www.randa.org/RulesEquipment/Rules/QuickGuide/Relief-Situations-and-Procedures/Immovable-Obstructions-and-Abnormal-Ground-Conditions

If I'm wrong, and it actually IS a water hazard, you can play it with no penalty, or move it out of the hazard with a one stroke penalty.  You have a couple of options with a lateral hazard.  The R&A have a pretty clear explanation for those options here:

https://www.randa.org/RulesEquipment/Rules/QuickGuide/Relief-Situations-and-Procedures/Water-Hazards

Welcome to golf, I hope you enjoy it for a long time.  Its nice to see that you're taking an interest in playing within the rules so quickly into your golfing journey.

Thanks for the response, I played same course today and you were right it was a red line with red stakes. There wasn't much water since it has been dry here. I assumed it was GUR since I didn't see water in there and didn't want to mess up the ground there. Thanks for the info should help a lot going forward.

[Shindig]

28 minutes ago, Northwoods88 said:

Thanks for the response, I played same course today and you were right it was a red line with red stakes. There wasn't much water since it has been dry here. I assumed it was GUR since I didn't see water in there and didn't want to mess up the ground there. Thanks for the info should help a lot going forward.

On occasion, you'll see lateral hazards that aren't water.  In addition to how nice it is that you want to get in with the rules early, I love that you want to keep the course in good condition.  We should all be so lucky as to have people like you at our respective clubs!

[Rulesman]

5 hours ago, Northwoods88 said:

Thanks for the response, I played same course today and you were right it was a red line with red stakes. There wasn't much water since it has been dry here. I assumed it was GUR since I didn't see water in there and didn't want to mess up the ground there. Thanks for the info should help a lot going forward.

Have a look at

https://www.usgapublications.com/

I think you can get the two books free from the USGA or your pro.

Certainly they are free in the R&A area.

Or see the rules here 

http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-14252

 

Edited August 10, 2018 by Rulesman