RULES

Immovable obstructions

- Chris Wallace

We’ve all seen various permanent objects dotted around the course, which may be essential for maintenance, but are clearly not intended to be part of the challenge of playing a hole. Chris Wallace, Rules manager at The R&A, looks into the Rules governing such immovable obstructions.

An immovable obstruction is any obstruction that cannot be moved without unreasonable effort or without damaging the obstruction or the course, or that does not meet the definition of a movable obstruction. The most common are things like cart paths, sprinkler heads or other irrigation-related drains or inlets.

Such obstructions are treated as ‘abnormal course conditions’ along with animal holes, ground under repair and temporary water. Because of this, free relief is generally allowed under Rule 16, which details when and how you may take free relief.

Although the procedure for taking relief can vary according to what part of the course your ball lies in, the relief procedure is generally the same. It involves finding the nearest point of complete relief from the object in question and dropping a ball within a one club-length relief area, no closer to the hole.

There are some misconceptions about when you are entitled to relief as it’s only permitted if you have interference from the immovable obstruction. This means your ball is touching or is in or on the obstruction, it physically interferes with your area of intended stance or swing, or (only when your ball is on the putting green), an obstruction on or off the putting green is on your line of play.