Standing on cart path relief

I read through some of the previous threads on this topic but want to make sure I have it right now. In league last night our opponent hit one about a foot right of the cart path into some high fescue. He was a right handed player and part of his feet would be on the cart path so we both agreed he should get relief. Here are my questions:

1) I wrongly thought he was able to get 2 club lengths relief with any club but it turns out it is 1 club length with the intended club he would play?

2) I felt he should drop on the right side of the cart path as that was the nearest point of relief but he thought he could go any way he desired (towards flatter terrain with short length grass on the left side of cart path) and since he would be dropping on the path he could then drop further left getting full relief. I didn't know the rule but conceded since I wasn't fully aware of the exact ruling. It is now my understating that he could not drop on the path since the rule is to drop in an area free from the obstacle you are trying to get relief from?

3) considering 1 and 2 above he would of either had to play the ball as it lied or drop to the right of the path in the high fescue again?

The good news is it made no difference in the outcome for that hole.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpter

I read through some of the previous threads on this topic but want to make sure I have it right now. In league last night our opponent hit one about a foot right of the cart path into some high fescue. He was a right handed player and part of his feet would be on the cart path so we both agreed he should get relief. Here are my questions:

1) I wrongly thought he was able to get 2 club lengths relief with any club but it turns out it is 1 club length with the intended club he would play?

The process is, to first locate the NEAREST point of complete relief from the condition (in this case the cart path) which is not closer to the hole and which gives complete relief from the condition.  That is normally one place, and only one place and it is not usually the best place.  It may even be in the middle of a bush or some other unplayable location.  Then from that nearest point of relief, he can measure one clublength, not nearer to the hole and not back into interference with the condition.  The ball when dropped must first strike the course within that measured area, and may not roll more than 2 clublengths from where it first hit the ground, nor can it end up closer to the hole than the nearest point of relief, nor back into interference.

He was wrong.  The reference point for measuring the one clublength is the nearest point of relief, not the best point of relief.

That's how it sounds to me, but I wasn't there so I'm just going on what I picture from your description.

Depends on the size of the cart path. With the ball all ready off the cart path. He probably only has to move about 1-2 FT to the right and drop. I would believe dropping on the left side would be a further distance.

You could have a case where the ball is on the cart path, but you might need to move it 5-6 FT to the right versus only 3-4 FT to the left. In such case the NPR would be on the left side of the path even though it's on the right side. of the path.

I am 100% percent certain that the nearest point of relief was on the right side of the path. He wouldn't have had to move more than 1ft to the right to get relief but would have to move at least 5 feet to the left to get relief. It would still have been advantageous for him to take the drop in the deep fescue to the right as he had 100% percent chance of a horrible lie if he had played it as it originally landed.

I addition, when determining NPR you use the club you would use if there were no interference from the condition. The one club length from this NPR can be then measured using whatever club, and playing from new position can be done using whatever of the player's club.

edit. all of this is in the picture posted before.