OB rules question

[antip]

28 minutes ago, iacas said:

I don’t get that perception (but I’m in the USA). It’s just that they’re more common here and they’re almost always on the course, so they come up a lot.

LOL, I never saw a cart in my first decade on golf courses. Ergo, no cart paths.

[SNIPERBBB]

4 hours ago, Colin L said:

It actually doesn't matter where the line is painted on the path;  the boundary line is the course side edge of the line.  Beyond that edge is out of of bounds.    If the line were painted down the middle of the path, part of the path is on the course and the other is our off bounds.  It's  no different from a line painted on grass.

it does cause possible relief issues however if the part of the ball is touching the course in bounds

[Petethreeput]

2 hours ago, SNIPERBBB said:

it does cause possible relief issues however if the part of the ball is touching the course in bounds

The rules committee has gone round and round on this for this very reason.  The logic is the cart path runs around the hole at the clubhouse and is maybe 10 yards from the back of the green so there isn't a ton of space.  It used to be staked but because of the curvature of the path they were losing some green space unless they put the stakes up 5' apart, but that was a PITA for the grounds crew because the aesthetic of mown grass at the clubhouse was important.

 

Anyway, I thank everyone who has chimed in and helped me and my understanding of the rules because the ultimate ruling from the pro shop didn't jibe with my thoughts but without a rule book and these guys were slow, slow, slow I wasn't going to ask the guy to play two balls in (on this hole) and then find out after the round.

[Hawkeye77]

16 hours ago, rogolf said:

Not all “pros” know the Rules of golf. This situation is pretty simple. 

Not a big deal, but I still remember with a match coming up against a guy who played from up tees having to take an article into the pro so he'd know there was an adjustment to be made (which he hadn't been making for matches for which it applied up to that point ) - he was cool about it and was happy to learn the info and later I happened to catch a glimpse of the guy coming in to look at the card and his expression when he saw a red "x" and a lower number for the strokes he was getting for the round (just one stroke less), then the listen as he complained, lol.  The guy was a bit of a jerk in general - man, I heard about that stroke until his relatively early exit from the match . . . .

[Colin L]

5 hours ago, SNIPERBBB said:

it does cause possible relief issues however if the part of the ball is touching the course in bounds

I don't see an issue.  If the ball is touching the edge of the boundary line it is in play.  If there is interference by a  part of the path that is on the course, you get relief.

[rogolf]

4 hours ago, Colin L said:

I don't see an issue.  If the ball is touching the edge of the boundary line it is in play.  If there is interference by a  part of the path that is on the course, you get relief.

"on the course" being the critical part for free relief!

[nsxguy]

On 7/22/2025 at 12:34 PM, Colin L said:

I don't see an issue.  If the ball is touching the edge of the boundary line it is in play.  If there is interference by a  part of the path that is on the course, you get relief.

 

But here's the part of said issue that's been left out and that "Sniper" was alluding to

 

The very edge of the OB cart path is painted white so the entire path is OB.

 

The ball rests against the edge of the path and therefore is IN bounds.

 

So, NO free relief from the OB path.

 

Hit it, or take an unplayable penalty drop - not so ?

 

 

[Colin L]

2 hours ago, nsxguy said:

 

But here's the part of said issue that's been left out and that "Sniper" was alluding to

 

The very edge of the OB cart path is painted white so the entire path is OB.

 

The ball rests against the edge of the path and therefore is IN bounds.

 

So, NO free relief from the OB path.

 

Hit it, or take an unplayable penalty drop - not so ?

 

 

That's the player's choice as to how to play the hole. I thought you meant there's a rules issue.

[nsxguy]

35 minutes ago, Colin L said:

That's the player's choice as to how to play the hole. I thought you meant there's a rules issue.

 

Yeah, I understood you.

 

I guess I only quoted you because you were last in line not to mention what options a player would have; not so much about the rules issue.  

[Colin L]

37 minutes ago, nsxguy said:

 

Yeah, I understood you.

 

I guess I only quoted you because you were last in line not to mention what options a player would have; not so much about the rules issue.  

If you saw my golf you would understand why I never offer advice on how to play the game. 😢

[nsxguy]

2 hours ago, Colin L said:

If you saw my golf you would understand why I never offer advice on how to play the game. 😢

 

No sympathy here. You still live in a gorgeous city !!! 

[Colin L]

7 hours ago, nsxguy said:

 

No sympathy here. You still live in a gorgeous city !!! 

 

I do indeed, and every now and again remind myself it's a privilege. 

 

Anent my golf, I've heard it it said that golf is only sport in which the elderly take lessons  and practise in the deluded belief that they can improve.  I'm a bit more realistic and take lessons and practise in the hope of holding on to the little bit I've got just a little bit longer. As a referee, I'm not going  to do any more matchplay assignments because I just can't maintain the concentration needed over 18 holes or more (especially for keeping the score!).  But hey, I'm still here and still able to get out into the fresh air on a beautiful golf course in  this gorgeous city, in great company and have fun.  Who knows, but statistics suggest that playing golf could well have contributed significantly to the fact that I am still here.

 

 

Edited July 25 by Colin L

[ShortGolfer]

On 7/21/2025 at 3:18 PM, Colin L said:

No.  You don't get  relief from an obstruction that is out of bounds. 

local course rule states this as follows

 

ALL CHAIN LINKED FENCES THAT MARK OUT OF BOUNDS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COURSE.  NO RELIEF PERMITTED.

[rogolf]

3 hours ago, ShortGolfer said:

local course rule states this as follows

 

ALL CHAIN LINKED FENCES THAT MARK OUT OF BOUNDS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COURSE.  NO RELIEF PERMITTED.

That's an unnecessary local Rule and the Rules of golf already say that there is no free relief for boundary objects.  A useful reminder though.