Out Of Bounds Issue.

Clueless about this so would appreciate any help.

Played last week and hit my ball 4" short of an out of bounds plastic net fence. The ball was in play, but I could not make a swing, unless I swung the club from the other side of the netting and hit the netting, then the ball.

Many arguements followed ( i.e if the ball was simply inside the the line of O.B posts, I would have been able to make my swing freely) but we have no idea. The 4' fence was fixed.

thanks in advance for any help.

Brendan  

I would say you are entitled to a free drop seeing as the fence in an immovable object.

If you could move the fence, then you are allowed to move it but as you say it's fixed so you couldn't move it.

Russ

I agree with Russell, I feel sure that it would be classed as an immovable obstruction.

Objects defining out of bounds such as walls, fences, stakes and railings, are not obstructions and are deemed to be fixed.

So as the fence is an out of bounds marker it is not an obstruction, movable or immovable, so unfortunately play it as it lies or take a penalty under ball unplayable.

Unless a local rule states otherwise.

Peter is correct. I have just checked the rules on this.

You live and learn don't you John?

I too have sat here with the rule book out and Peter is correct.

It's such a simple game to play, but once you get into the deeper parts of the rules is can be quite daunting.

I do wish my pro would have a Saturday morning rule session, just so the majority of us who were interested could understand the rules better.

Russ