Your Queries Resolved
While watching a recent tournament at Celtic Manor on TV I saw a player find thick rough close to the green. The player was initially unable to find his ball and a search from playing partners, caddies and others ensued. One of those ‘others’ was Sky TV on-course expert Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley. He too was initially unable to find the ball until guided in by other Sky TV commentators with the help of several replays. Were any rules broken? Roger Diggle, Bolton, via email
Q
AThe simple answer to your question is no. Under Rule 7.1, a player may fairly search for their ball by taking reasonable actions to find and identify it. There is no prohibition on accepting help from others, whether they are fellow players, caddies, spectators or on-course TV commentators. The fact that TV footage has been used to guide the search towards the area where the ball lies is simply the player’s good fortune. Chris Wallace, R& A Rules manager
I’m a member at Hunley Hall Golf Club. When playing the 4th recently, I hit my ball off the back of the green and on to a public footpath that runs through the course. It is behind a tree line. I couldn’t move my ball closer as it is against the rules, but I couldn’t move it behind as the 6th green is quite close there. What should I have done? Jake Hutchinson, Brotton
Q
AThere may be some places on the golf course where, although the player is entitled to free relief, finding the nearest point of complete relief may be quite difficult or may take you to a place which might not be very appealing to drop in. As the footpath is an immovable obstruction, you were entitled to take free relief under Rule 16.1b by finding your nearest point of complete relief and dropping the ball within a club-length of that point, no nearer the hole. However, if the free relief would take you into the trees or into a worse lie or location, then you would always have the option of playing the ball as it lies or taking unplayable relief (Rule 19) under penalty of one stroke.