Picture the scene. No, really, take a look at the images below. You know we’re well into autumn when you can’t see the fairway from the leaves.
I’m sure no one would argue that it isn’t a very pretty sight. But we’re a little less inclined to gush at the glory of nature when our ball is right in the middle of it and we’re scrabbling around trying to find it.
At this time of year, you’ll often hear talk of the “leaf rule”. But is it magic or myth? Is there a leaf rule and what can you do if you fear your ball is buried in a pile? Let’s take a look…
Leaf rule golf: Can I get relief?
I imagine most of you would look at these pictures and just assume you’d be getting free relief. But this is the default position: if your ball just happens to be under some randomly spread loose grass or leaves, and you can’t find it, there is no free relief under the rules.
Don’t panic, though, there are still ways and means.
Grass cuttings, leaves, and any other material “piled for later removal”, are ground under repair and are abnormal course conditions.
When that’s the case, you can get free relief under Rule 16.1.
This can get a bit messy. Are the leaves covering your ball intended to be removed? If they’re not then GUR doesn’t apply “unless the committee has defined them as such”.
That can be as straightforward as a Local Rule that says: “Grass cuttings piled for removal are ground under repair and free relief is allowed under Rule 16.1”.
But what if they’re not going to be removed? What if they’re just left lying there until nature takes its course – or someone comes along with a big blower?
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Leaves are also loose impediments. So there’s nothing to stop you getting down in the dirt, so to speak, and shifting them – as long as you don’t move your ball in the process.
If there are so many of them that it’s just impractical to do that, and it’s “difficult for a player to find or play their ball”, your club can use another Local Rule.
And it’s this that many players would understand as the “leaf rule”.
It covers temporary accumulations of loose impediments in the general area or in a bunker and it again allows players to treat them as ground under repair.
The rule is meant to be limited to the hole, or holes, where there are issues. Committees are meant to withdraw it “as soon as conditions allow”.
What if you can’t find your ball – either if the leaves are piled for removal or if they’re accumulations of loose impediments?
If it’s known or virtually certain your ball is in there you can take advantage of Rule 16.1e, which allows relief for a ball not found but which is “in or on an abnormal course condition”.
Got a question for our expert?
Despite the changes to the Rules of Golf in 2019 and 2023, there are still some that leave us scratching our heads. I’ll try to help by featuring the best of your queries in this column.
Leaf rule golf: Have you managed to get relief from a pile of leaves in this way? Let me know by leaving a comment below, email me at s.carroll@nationalclubgolfer.com or get in touch on X.
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