Ruling issue

Hi folks
Can somebody help clarify a ruling for me.
Yesterday i was playing my local course, after teeing off on the sixteenth, my ball came to rest on the fairway. When i approach my ball i realised it had come to rest against a rubber spike that had fallen off somebody's shoe. I marked my ball with a tee, removed the offending object and replaced my ball and then took my next shot. neither myself or my playing partner were sure of the ruling but he was more inclined to think i should have played the ball as it lied.

any thoughts ??????

cheers

__________________
the dog wags the tail....the tail dosn't wag the dog

Hi Atford, I had a look on the R and A website under definitions of a loose impediment and it seems loose impediments are natural objects ie twigs ,stones, wormcasts etc. I would still think you would be entitled to remove the offending spike. Imagine if your ball had come to rest against an empty plastic bottle or can blown there by the wind. I have sent an e-mail to the rules dept of the R and A asking a similar question and will let you know their reply as soon as I get it.
Cheers John B

Depends on whether a spike is considered an artificial object when on a golf course.
I can see arguments for both...
How about if your ball lands on a banana skin?

Just had a reply from the R and A . See rule 24/1 the obstruction can be removed without penalty.

Cheers john.
i appreciate you researching this for me

Thanks again John