Storm season is on the horizon. Let’s keep the fingers crossed that everyone comes through safely but there will inevitably be debris, and golf courses have been a particular casualty of some of the extreme winds and rain that have battered us over the last few years.
So for those undaunted by the prospect of playing during the colder months, the following email might sound familiar:
“I played after some strong winds, which seems to be more common [and] had blown down a mountain ash.
“My ball came to rest under the branches of the fallen tree. The tree had completely snapped at the bottom so was not attached to the ground.
“It was too heavy to move so I had to move my ball before my next stroke. Should that have been taken as an unplayable or would I get free relief from abnormal conditions?”
So if you’re not fortunate to enough to have superhuman strength, what do you do when your path to glory is blocked by a fallen tree?
Fallen tree on golf course: What are the rules?
Trees are just 90 per cent air, aren’t they? I never seem to clear the branches, though, so I’ve got no chance of extricating my ball if Mother Nature has lent a hand and sent one crashing to the ground.
Loose leaves and branches are loose impediments. So if you can shift them, you’re within your rights to do so. Remember, if you move the ball when doing so you get a penalty stroke.
It’s a bit trickier, though, when you’re dealing with something so big it causes damage to people and property.
You might think this is automatically one of those situations where you’re dealing with an abnormal course condition. After all, trees are supposed to be upright.