Tree Roots

I live in Jacksonville and play a couple of tracks that have a lot of external roots. If I'm up against a tree or something I'll take the penalty and take unplayable. However where there are tree roots etc... Do you do the same or move the ball? Sometimes these things can be 8 - 12 feet away from the tree. I kind of look at it like it's a cart path or something....

But it isn't a cart path.

If possible, I'll try to advance the ball by chipping/putting it to a better location, rather than taking an unplayable lie penalty.

Tree roots natural and normal. Play the ball down, or take unplayable lie penalty.

But is the ball in the general area, the rough or a penalty area?

I thought i had the correct answer, see above, until i read this:

https://www.my-golf.uk/rules-of-golf-tree-roots/

and then looked at this:

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules/rules-2019/rules-of-golf/rule-16.html

So, it seems like you must have a Local Rule in place to accept 'abnormal ground condition'; relief from tree roots. Best to check back of scorecard or tourney committee.

You can either play it or take an unplayable.

The committee can implement local rules to allow ground under repair relief though it's mainly for fairway and close to the fairway. Local rule F-9

ditto on either playing it or taking an unplayable

if you are playing a practice round, don't break a wrist or club, but if you are keeping score, you must play by the rules.

Agreed on taking an unplayable or try to chip forward if possible.

Like this?

Yeah not playing that and risk damaging my equipment. I'd put it in that lush stuff and flush and iron right onto the green and take my par.

> @Roman1274 said:

>

> Like this?

Nah! Tiger could pick out which glass panel to hit.

> @Roman1274 said:

>

> Like this?

Three choices as I see it, all involve a single stroke:

- go for the green

- chip it out to the fairway

- take an unplayable

> @rogolf said:

>

> >

>

> Three choices as I see it, all involve a single stroke:

> - go for the green

> - chip it out to the fairway

> - take an unplayable

Agree, each with diminishing risks of requiring follow-ups with a physiotherapist.

> @Paddy_2_Iron said:

> Yeah not playing that and risk damaging my equipment. I'd put it in that lush stuff and flush and iron right onto the green and take my par.

Why not drop it in accordance with the rules, put it on and take your bogey? Is a par going to make you feel more macho than a bogey, even though you know it’s not a par? If that is the case, why not drop it on the fairway for free? Or on the green and have an eagle putt?

If having an illegitimate par versus having a bad break bogey is going to make or break your enjoyment of the round, by all means do what you like. I would suggest, though, you shouldn’t tie your self-worth to your golf score. Making a bogey once in a while likely won’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things. Nobody is impressed when they hear, “I shot 84, but if I had taken a legal drop it’d have been an 85”.

The sun will come up tomorrow and you can start another round. Then another and another, etc. Pretty soon that one stroke that was the difference between playing by the rules or not will be well behind you and forgotten. But if you take the illegal drop, you’ll remember. To throw away one’s integrity in a meaningless round of golf, for one stroke no less, it’ll be memorable. Nobody else will remember, but you will.

As Spike Lee would say, “Do the right thing”. :)

> @Paddy_2_Iron said:

> Yeah not playing that and risk damaging my equipment. I'd put it in that lush stuff and flush and iron right onto the green and take my par.

Why not just pick it up ,put it in your pocket , mark an eagle on your card and go to the next tee?

I picked it up and tossed it in the grass. Was playing alone. It was cold and starting rain and really wasn't keeping score.

> @Roman1274 said:

> I picked it up and tossed it in the grass. Was playing alone. It was cold and starting rain and really wasn't keeping score.

. . . and picking the ball up and tossing it helped keep me warm and dry? :)

> @Augster said:

> > @Paddy_2_Iron said:

> > Yeah not playing that and risk damaging my equipment. I'd put it in that lush stuff and flush and iron right onto the green and take my par.

>

> Why not drop it in accordance with the rules, put it on and take your bogey? Is a par going to make you feel more macho than a bogey, even though you know it’s not a par? If that is the case, why not drop it on the fairway for free? Or on the green and have an eagle putt?

>

> If having an illegitimate par versus having a bad break bogey is going to make or break your enjoyment of the round, by all means do what you like. I would suggest, though, you shouldn’t tie your self-worth to your golf score. Making a bogey once in a while likely won’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things. Nobody is impressed when they hear, “I shot 84, but if I had taken a legal drop it’d have been an 85”.

>

> The sun will come up tomorrow and you can start another round. Then another and another, etc. Pretty soon that one stroke that was the difference between playing by the rules or not will be well behind you and forgotten. But if you take the illegal drop, you’ll remember. To throw away one’s integrity in a meaningless round of golf, for one stroke no less, it’ll be memorable. Nobody else will remember, but you will.

>

> As Spike Lee would say, “Do the right thing”. :)

What? With a penalty stroke after a tee shot you can still make a par on a par 4 or a birdie on a par 5 when hitting the shot after the penalty stroke onto the green. In the first post they stated 'If I'm up against a tree or something I'll take the penalty and take unplayable'. Maybe cut them some slack.

> @Roman1274 said:

>

> Like this?

Which way you hitting it ? If In the direction of the picture I’d hit it. If coming at the camera I’d chip out. Pays to be a shallow aoa player.

I'd always take an unplayable now after hurting my wrist badly on one those darn things a number of years ago... it's just not worth the injury risk to me.

> @Dpavs said:

> I'd always take an unplayable now after hurting my wrist badly on one those darn things a number of years ago... it's just not worth the injury risk to me.

Same. I got a little aggressive with a root earlier this year, my wrist hurt for 2 months solid, it still doesn't feel perfect but I think it will get back to normal. Pulled off a great shot though! And then struggled making clean contact with the ball for the rest of the round.

> @SnapHooker_605 said:

> > @Dpavs said:

> > I'd always take an unplayable now after hurting my wrist badly on one those darn things a number of years ago... it's just not worth the injury risk to me.

>

> Same. I got a little aggressive with a root earlier this year, my wrist hurt for 2 months solid, it still doesn't feel perfect but I think it will get back to normal. Pulled off a great shot though! And then struggled making clean contact with the ball for the rest of the round.

So, in hindsight, was avoiding a one stroke penalty really worth it?? B)

I would try to pick it clean and cold top it, just like Jordan Spieth

> @rogolf said:

> > @SnapHooker_605 said:

> > > @Dpavs said:

> > > I'd always take an unplayable now after hurting my wrist badly on one those darn things a number of years ago... it's just not worth the injury risk to me.

> >

> > Same. I got a little aggressive with a root earlier this year, my wrist hurt for 2 months solid, it still doesn't feel perfect but I think it will get back to normal. Pulled off a great shot though! And then struggled making clean contact with the ball for the rest of the round.

>

> So, in hindsight, was avoiding a one stroke penalty really worth it?? B)

I think for most of us and in most cases we can agree, it's just not worth the risk of injury.

> @Dpavs said:

> > @rogolf said:

> > > @SnapHooker_605 said:

> > > > @Dpavs said:

> > > > I'd always take an unplayable now after hurting my wrist badly on one those darn things a number of years ago... it's just not worth the injury risk to me.

> > >

> > > Same. I got a little aggressive with a root earlier this year, my wrist hurt for 2 months solid, it still doesn't feel perfect but I think it will get back to normal. Pulled off a great shot though! And then struggled making clean contact with the ball for the rest of the round.

> >

> > So, in hindsight, was avoiding a one stroke penalty really worth it?? B)

>

> I think for most of us and in most cases we can agree, it's just not worth the risk of injury.

I agree that it is not worth the risk of injury but I don't see the need to limit myself to always taking an unplayable lie. Chipping instead of taking even a quarter swing has worked well for me. If I don't think a chip has a good chance of getting me into a good position then I take the unplayable.

> @HatsForBats said:

> > @Dpavs said:

> > > @rogolf said:

> > > > @SnapHooker_605 said:

> > > > > @Dpavs said:

> > > > > I'd always take an unplayable now after hurting my wrist badly on one those darn things a number of years ago... it's just not worth the injury risk to me.

> > > >

> > > > Same. I got a little aggressive with a root earlier this year, my wrist hurt for 2 months solid, it still doesn't feel perfect but I think it will get back to normal. Pulled off a great shot though! And then struggled making clean contact with the ball for the rest of the round.

> > >

> > > So, in hindsight, was avoiding a one stroke penalty really worth it?? B)

> >

> > I think for most of us and in most cases we can agree, it's just not worth the risk of injury.

>

> I agree that it is not worth the risk of injury but I don't see the need to limit myself to always taking an unplayable lie. Chipping instead of taking even a quarter swing has worked well for me. If I don't think a chip has a good chance of getting me into a good position then I take the unplayable.

One can often even putt it to a location superior to that which would be allowable for an unplayable drop. Hard to imagine hurting yourself with that sort of stroke.

> @Sawgrass said:

> > @HatsForBats said:

> > > @Dpavs said:

> > > > @rogolf said:

> > > > > @SnapHooker_605 said:

> > > > > > @Dpavs said:

> > > > > > I'd always take an unplayable now after hurting my wrist badly on one those darn things a number of years ago... it's just not worth the injury risk to me.

> > > > >

> > > > > Same. I got a little aggressive with a root earlier this year, my wrist hurt for 2 months solid, it still doesn't feel perfect but I think it will get back to normal. Pulled off a great shot though! And then struggled making clean contact with the ball for the rest of the round.

> > > >

> > > > So, in hindsight, was avoiding a one stroke penalty really worth it?? B)

> > >

> > > I think for most of us and in most cases we can agree, it's just not worth the risk of injury.

> >

> > I agree that it is not worth the risk of injury but I don't see the need to limit myself to always taking an unplayable lie. Chipping instead of taking even a quarter swing has worked well for me. If I don't think a chip has a good chance of getting me into a good position then I take the unplayable.

>

> One can often even putt it to a location superior to that which would be allowable for an unplayable drop. Hard to imagine hurting yourself with that sort of stroke.

>

Hence my use of the terminology "in most cases".

There are always exceptions but caution is better than a multi-month injury if there is any doubt.

> @Dpavs said:

> > @Sawgrass said:

> > > @HatsForBats said:

> > > > @Dpavs said:

> > > > > @rogolf said:

> > > > > > @SnapHooker_605 said:

> > > > > > > @Dpavs said:

> > > > > > > I'd always take an unplayable now after hurting my wrist badly on one those darn things a number of years ago... it's just not worth the injury risk to me.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Same. I got a little aggressive with a root earlier this year, my wrist hurt for 2 months solid, it still doesn't feel perfect but I think it will get back to normal. Pulled off a great shot though! And then struggled making clean contact with the ball for the rest of the round.

> > > > >

> > > > > So, in hindsight, was avoiding a one stroke penalty really worth it?? B)

> > > >

> > > > I think for most of us and in most cases we can agree, it's just not worth the risk of injury.

> > >

> > > I agree that it is not worth the risk of injury but I don't see the need to limit myself to always taking an unplayable lie. Chipping instead of taking even a quarter swing has worked well for me. If I don't think a chip has a good chance of getting me into a good position then I take the unplayable.

> >

> > One can often even putt it to a location superior to that which would be allowable for an unplayable drop. Hard to imagine hurting yourself with that sort of stroke.

> >

>

> Hence my use of the terminology "in most cases".

>

> There are always exceptions but caution is better than a multi-month injury if there is any doubt.

Or just do as the OP suggests, take a “root rule” drop for free. Because, you know, why not? Also ground your club in the sand, roll your ball out of a divot and play the ball beyond the white stakes for free. Why not?

Rules are a man-made construct. They can’t be broken if they aren’t adhered to in the first place.

Ground under repair, call it a day flush your iron and grab your par.......

Course should put rules into place to avoid having to deal with those things....... It's not ob, it's not a bunker or a hazard, it's poor course condition..... Might as well hit off the cart path too instead of moving the ball..... Swing that brand new 220 dollar wedge into that broken concrete.

> @Augster said:

> > @Dpavs said:

> > > @Sawgrass said:

> > > > @HatsForBats said:

> > > > > @Dpavs said:

> > > > > > @rogolf said:

> > > > > > > @SnapHooker_605 said:

> > > > > > > > @Dpavs said:

> > > > > > > > I'd always take an unplayable now after hurting my wrist badly on one those darn things a number of years ago... it's just not worth the injury risk to me.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Same. I got a little aggressive with a root earlier this year, my wrist hurt for 2 months solid, it still doesn't feel perfect but I think it will get back to normal. Pulled off a great shot though! And then struggled making clean contact with the ball for the rest of the round.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > So, in hindsight, was avoiding a one stroke penalty really worth it?? B)

> > > > >

> > > > > I think for most of us and in most cases we can agree, it's just not worth the risk of injury.

> > > >

> > > > I agree that it is not worth the risk of injury but I don't see the need to limit myself to always taking an unplayable lie. Chipping instead of taking even a quarter swing has worked well for me. If I don't think a chip has a good chance of getting me into a good position then I take the unplayable.

> > >

> > > One can often even putt it to a location superior to that which would be allowable for an unplayable drop. Hard to imagine hurting yourself with that sort of stroke.

> > >

> >

> > Hence my use of the terminology "in most cases".

> >

> > There are always exceptions but caution is better than a multi-month injury if there is any doubt.

>

> Or just do as the OP suggests, take a “root rule” drop for free. Because, you know, why not? Also ground your club in the sand, roll your ball out of a divot and play the ball beyond the white stakes for free. Why not?

>

> Rules are a man-made construct. They can’t be broken if they aren’t adhered to in the first place.

>

>

Now you are on to something. The game is a man-made construct, why not just sit in the bar and fill in the card

> @Paddy_2_Iron said:

> Ground under repair, call it a day flush your iron and grab your par.......

>

> Course should put rules into place to avoid having to deal with those things....... It's not ob, it's not a bunker or a hazard, it's poor course condition..... Might as well hit off the cart path too instead of moving the ball..... Swing that brand new 220 dollar wedge into that broken concrete.

A tree root? It's as natural as the grass itself. That picture isn't even that bad. Certainly workable to a better location.