The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers.
My drive rolled off the fairway onto a curbed, paved cart path — and then proceeded to roll back down the path at least 100 yards toward the tee box. I was told I could put the ball back on the fairway at the point it rolled onto the cart path with no penalty. Is this correct? —Wolf Dorak, Ontario, Canada
Wolf, Rules Guy is howling with laughter — whoever told you that should be kicked to the curb.
There is no such fix, whether the ball retreated one yard or 100 yards. See Rule 16.1 regarding how to take relief from a cart path.
Rules Guy: If you choose to play the ball off a cart path and hit it OB, can you take relief on your next shot?
For more cart path guidance from our guru, read on …
I hit my drive into the edge of a red-staked area. There was grass between the stakes and the waterline, so I potentially had a swing — but there was a cart path next to the stakes that I would have had to stand on. Was I allowed relief from the path, or does the fact that the ball was in a penalty area negate it? —Will Marcrum, MD, Tell City, Ind.
Rules Guy, am I allowed to have my cake and eat it, too? You are lucky enough to have a playable shot from a penalty area, and you want relief from standing on a cart path? Would you like a mimosa, too? Some peanuts? How about a massage?
Seriously, though, Dr. Will, it never hurts to ask …. If your ball is in a penalty area, per Rule 17.3, you do not get free relief from interference by immovable obstructions such as cart paths, or any other abnormal course condition, such as ground under repair, animal holes or temporary water.
As the kids say, deal with it.
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Got a question about the Rules? Ask the Rules Guy! Send your queries, confusions and comments to rulesguy@golf.com. We promise he won’t throw the book at you.
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