Ruling question ? stance interference by path

Situation : Tee shot landed in the deep rough (right of the cart path). Cart path left is the second cut of the fairway. The cart path interfere with my stance towards the fair/the green.

Question: where is the first point of relief ? The left of the cart path or the right side of the cart path in the rough no closer to the hole? Both sides have room for relief with no path interfering the stance after relief.

Clearly, if the first point of relief(club length) is the left side of the cart path(fairway rough). I would be improving the condition of play, which I don't feel is right.

Appreciate you answer/comments.

@xw

IMHO, assuming the cart path is artificial,it is an obstruction and you are entitled to relief including your stance. If the ball were on the path, it is possible that if you allow for your (right handed) stance the nearest point of relief is on the mown left side of the path: ie. relief may be the edge of the path on the left or a metre or so off the path on the right to allow for your stance. Then the nearest point of relief is the mown left edge of the path. You then have one club length, no nearer the hole.There is nothing in the rules that you can't get a lucky break!

However, if your ball already lies in the rough on the right, allowing for the width of the cart path, I doubt very much if the nearest point of relief could possibly be on the left. You need to take your stance clear of the path and mark where the ball would be. You then have one club length no nearer the hole for your drop.

A bit difficult to write but I hope this helps.

You see pros bend the rules all the time. Take a drop on the cart path, of course it will bounce away. After the 3rd one place it where it's dropped. Now your entitled to an addition drop due to the lie on the cart path. Now you can drop towards the fairway.

Just my thoughts on the rules. Now, even though that is within the rules. You need to use some integrity in this instance and probably just drop in the deep rough.

Great advises/comments, Thanks to you all. Golf-god bless you.

Your nearest point of relief is the nearest point from where the ball rests to where the cart path is no longer interferes with your stance.

If you are on the right side of the fairway and the cart path is on the right and you are right of the cart path, the nearest relief of the cart path is to the right. Nearest point of relief can be in the trees - the ruling is the nearest point of relief from the path, regardless of what other obstructions may be around.

You can use Danny's suggestion, but you would have to take an unplayable lie to drop on the cartpath (you can't take a drop on the cart path after claiming you need relief from the cart path because it is not dropping at a point of relief. Also, it wouldn't be the NEAREST point of relief.) At that point, drop the ball, up to three times if it doesn't bounce too far away. It could land on the cart path and back into the original position and you'd be no better off, yet hitting 3 instead of 2.

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There's no provision in the rules for cart path interference (RCGA/USGA). However, if the path is roped off, then the rule for immovable obstructions come into play.

"24-2b. The player must lift the ball and drop it without penalty within one clublength of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief (which must not be in a hazard or on a putting green). When the ball is dropped within one clublength of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green."

That said, most courses have a local rule that give you a free drop 1 clublength from the cart path.

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Sorry Lowpost. Section 2 of the rules of golf - Definitions, includes the definition of an obstruction. It states in part "An "obstruction" is anything artificial, including the artificial surfaces and sides of roads and paths .....". Hence my response "assuming the cart path is artificial, it is an obstruction and you are entitled to relief" there is no need for ropes or local rules. The rules of golf give you entitlement to one club length from the nearest point of relief no nearer the hole.(Rule 24.2)

Gord, I agree with what you are saying but the use of "regardless of any other obstructions" would be better said as "any other interference." If there were now a hose, bench, etc, ie another "obstruction", the player would then be entitled to relief from that obstruction.

D

You are correct - I meant to say 'hazzard', meaning trees, sand, etc.

I stand corrected.

Gord, I've been reluctant to reply to your post because I do not want to be seen as a nit-picking pedant. However, for the benefit of those who learn about golf from this site "hazards" are also defined in Section 2 of the rules as "any bunker or water hazard." A tree is not a hazard. Sorry mate.

Don A