The Guidelines of Golf are difficult! Fortunately, we’ve obtained the guru. Our Guidelines Man is aware of the guide entrance to again. Acquired a query? He’s obtained all of the solutions.

I used to be taking part in in our member-member event and hit a wayward shot. My ball got here to relaxation behind a memorial tree, which was straight between my ball and the inexperienced. I requested at no cost reduction, reasoning that, as a memorial, the tree wasn’t a part of the course design. I used to be denied and instructed I might solely have gotten free reduction from the adjoining memorial stone. Was that proper? —Tim Muldoon, Buffalo, N.Y.

It sounds proper to Guidelines Man.

Particular timber will be protected by Native Rule by making them no-play zones, however such therapy is often reserved for younger, rising timber. If the committee didn’t make the memorial tree a no-play zone, then below the Definition of Obstruction the memorial plaque itself is the one immovable obstruction and irregular course situation that free reduction would enable for.

Guidelines Man additionally needn’t let you know by no means to, er, take reduction on a memorial tree.

For extra relief-related steerage from our guru, learn on …

My wedge strategy landed on the perimeter, created an enormous ball mark, popped out of it, and got here to relaxation an inch behind the mark. Naturally, that mark was straight on my line to the outlet. I’d have most well-liked to putt the ball, however the depth of the mark made that inconceivable… until I can repair the mark earlier than making my stroke. The strategy by no means touched the inexperienced — does that make a distinction? —Joe Scopel, Maryland 

Certainly, it does make a distinction, Joe — if the pitch mark have been on the inexperienced then you could possibly repair it … however it isn’t, so you possibly can’t.

Please seek advice from Rule 8.1; you aren’t allowed to remove irregularities that enhance your situations affecting the stroke — on this case, the road of play. You’ll must take your possibilities placing or chipping over it … or, we suppose, go round it, however that might simply be type of unhappy.

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