|
MAY - 2009
Let me clear up some confusion that has occurred regarding the (new) fence at San Clemente that surrounds the driving range, and how Out of Bounds is defined. In the past, the poles that held up the driving range fence were marked with white paint (defining the O.B.) which created a situation where your ball could be next to the fence, on the course with a swing- but Out of Bounds. Not a great situation. The Committee decided in fairness to define a ball that is INSIDE the driving range - (Defined by the INSIDE point of the MESH fence) as Out of Bounds. Any ball OUTSIDE the line of the mesh fence is on the Course and is In-Bounds. Course? The "course" is the whole area within any boundaries established by the Committee (see Rule 33-2). Thus, any ball that goes over the fence and comes to rest INSIDE the driving range is Out of Bounds. Out of Bounds "Out of bounds" is beyond the boundaries of the course or any part of the course so marked by the Committee. When out of bounds is defined by reference to stakes or a fence or as being beyond stakes or a fence, the out of bounds line is determined by the nearest inside points at ground level of the stakes or fence posts (excluding angled supports). When both stakes and lines are used to indicate out of bounds, the stakes identify out of bounds and the lines define out of bounds. When out of bounds is defined by a line on the ground, the line itself is out of bounds. The out of bounds line extends vertically upwards and downwards. A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies out of bounds. A player may stand out of bounds to play a ball lying within bounds. Objects defining out of bounds such as walls, fences, stakes and railings, are not obstructions and are deemed to be fixed. Stakes identifying out of bounds are not obstructions and are deemed to be fixed. Note 1: Stakes or lines used to define out of bounds should be white. Note 2: A Committee may make a Local Rule declaring stakes identifying but not defining out of bounds to be movable obstructions. This means that the fence and the poles supporting the driving range fence become Immovable Obstructions. Relief is then taken under 24-2. Immovable Obstruction a. Interference Interference by an immovable obstruction occurs when a ball lies in or on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player's stance or the area of his intended swing. If the player's ball lies on the putting green, interference also occurs if an immovable obstruction on the putting green intervenes on his line of putt. Otherwise, intervention on the line of play is not, of itself, interference under this Rule. b. Relief Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an immovable obstruction as follows: (i)Through the Green: If the ball lies through the green, the player must lift the ball and drop it, without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the ball is dropped within one club-length 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. |