Driving range fence. Relief?

[MarcellusW]

I'm about to play a course that has a hole bordering the driving range.  There is a netting separating the hole from the internal driving range.  There are no stakes.  

 

The scorecard doesn't have any mention about OOB on this hole.  If a ball were to end up against the netting, would this be free relief from an immovable obstruction or no relief from a boundary fence?

 

Thanks.

[GoTime]

Ask the pro

[rogolf]

40 minutes ago, MarcellusW said:

I'm about to play a course that has a hole bordering the driving range.  There is a netting separating the hole from the internal driving range.  There are no stakes.  

 

The scorecard doesn't have any mention about OOB on this hole.  If a ball were to end up against the netting, would this be free relief from an immovable obstruction or no relief from a boundary fence?

 

Thanks.

Yes, one or the other, but nobody here knows more than that.  As above, it's a question to be asked/sorted at the specific course.

[Fairway14]

58 minutes ago, MarcellusW said:

I'm about to play a course that has a hole bordering the driving range.  There is a netting separating the hole from the internal driving range.  There are no stakes.  

 

The scorecard doesn't have any mention about OOB on this hole.  If a ball were to end up against the netting, would this be free relief from an immovable obstruction or no relief from a boundary fence?

 

Thanks.

 

Are you certain there are no OB stakes (or penalty area paint/markings)  along the driving range fence line ? 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Fairway14

[Fairway14]

1 minute ago, Fairway14 said:

 

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Fairway14
duplication

[limegreengent]

Marcellus

Equally important is the status of the driving range.

Is the status mentioned on the local rules - ?

I guess "No ' from your comments.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by limegreengent

[Imp]

What did the back of the card say about it? I can't think of one range that wasn't OB (and OB with good reason being "Hard Hat area").

Edited July 12, 2021 by Imp

[jimbo123]

45 minutes ago, Imp said:

What did the back of the card say about it? I can't think of one range that wasn't OB (and OB with good reason being "Hard Hat area").

Not many, but at least one was a big deal!  In the 2017 Open Spieth took a drop on the way to the win that was only possible because an on-course driving range was not OOB.    Unlikely in this case, but goes to show it's worth asking!

[Abh159]

On 7/11/2021 at 8:45 AM, MarcellusW said:

I'm about to play a course that has a hole bordering the driving range.  There is a netting separating the hole from the internal driving range.  There are no stakes.  

 

The scorecard doesn't have any mention about OOB on this hole.  If a ball were to end up against the netting, would this be free relief from an immovable obstruction or no relief from a boundary fence?

 

Thanks.

 

Asking the pro will get you the best answer regarding what they consider the netting (i.e., boundary fence or immovable obstruction), but here is the official ruling from the USGA's website below:

 

You may not move objects marking course boundaries or take free relief from them like you would from other artificial objects, like a cart path, a building, or a stake marking a penalty area. Your options are to play your ball as it lies, proceed under penalty of stroke and distance by playing again from the spot of your last stroke (see Rule 18.1), or decide your ball is unplayable (see Rule 19.1).

 

[Pepperturbo]

If you know something exists that causes a rules question, ask in the Pro-shop for local clarification.

[lchang]

On 7/12/2021 at 4:16 AM, Imp said:

What did the back of the card say about it? I can't think of one range that wasn't OB (and OB with good reason being "Hard Hat area").

Old York Road in the Philadelphia area. The range is not OB. People at the range stop hitting balls while the player on the course “plays through”. I found it amazing!