rules question

XLSDRAW · April 7, 2009

moss removal

I'm riding with a fellow competitor and we move down the fairway after our drives. It's a warm day here in Florida so when we get about 30 feet from my ball the other guy pulls the cart into the shade of a nearby oak tree to wait for the green to clear. When the green clears I reached into my bag and pulled my club. When I pulled my club it got hung in some overhanging moss above our cart. In freeing my club some of the moss came off the tree. The fellow I was riding with immediately told me I must take a penalty stroke for pulling the moss out of the tree even though we were some 30 ft behind my ball. I didn't agree with him and a brief arguement insued. Can someone help clarify this situation. Thanks.

SpartyOn1982 · April 7, 2009

Just based on common sense I wouldn't think that anything that far away from your ball warrants a penalty.You will see some of the tour players when they are in crappy situations go to a similar spot away from the ball and take practice swings (in a situation that you cant ground the club near the ball) They are not penalized for those actions.

Sounds to me your playing partner/competitor is looking to squeeze some extra strokes out of you.

If I am wrong I apologize.

Good luck.

asloper6001 · April 7, 2009

Yea, the guy you are riding with is a tool bag.

SpartyOn1982 · April 7, 2009

Yea, the guy you are riding with is a tool bag.

:lol: +1 !!

Or you can sum it up like that!

tjewell1994 · April 7, 2009

there is no way that that's a penalty. i think that you were a few strokes up and he wanted some way to win. lol

turtleback · April 7, 2009

I'm riding with a fellow competitor and we move down the fairway after our drives. It's a warm day here in Florida so when we get about 30 feet from my ball the other guy pulls the cart into the shade of a nearby oak tree to wait for the green to clear. When the green clears I reached into my bag and pulled my club. When I pulled my club it got hung in some overhanging moss above our cart. In freeing my club some of the moss came off the tree. The fellow I was riding with immediately told me I must take a penalty stroke for pulling the moss out of the tree even though we were some 30 ft behind my ball. I didn't agree with him and a brief arguement insued. Can someone help clarify this situation. Thanks.

If the moss was behind your ball by 30 feet then you didn't improve your swing area nor did you improve your line of play. No penalty. If he disagrees have him show you the rule in the rule book. I'm betting he doesn't have one.

If the tree with the overhanging moss had been between your ball and the green an argument could be made that you had improved your line of play.

longballjs · April 7, 2009

If the moss was behind your ball by 30 feet then you didn't improve your swing area nor did you improve your line of play. No penalty. If he disagrees have him show you the rule in the rule book. I'm betting he doesn't have one.

If the tree with the overhanging moss had been between your ball and the green an argument could be made that you had improved your line of play.

Thats the answer

wwhitehead · April 7, 2009

By his logic, he incurred a penalty for driving over and breaking grassblades on the way to his ball.

WW

rehberg · April 7, 2009

Moss can be removed as long as it is hanging and when you remove it doesnt beak any branches.

Tmiller72 · April 7, 2009

Moss can be removed as long as it is hanging and when you remove it doesnt beak any branches.

Wouldn't the moss have to be attached to the tree in some way to continue to grow? Hopefully the OP has played his last round with that tool box!

gregflat9 · April 7, 2009

He might well have said "it's a two shot penalty cos you walked on the grass and it consequently moved."

Insane.

Rockfish · April 7, 2009

Moss can be removed as long as it is hanging and when you remove it doesnt beak any branches.

Not if it is attached it can't.

TRC79 · April 7, 2009

Moss can be removed as long as it is hanging and when you remove it doesnt beak any branches.

Not if it is attached it can't.

Rockfish is correct. Reference decision 13-2/37

turtleback · April 8, 2009

Moss can be removed as long as it is hanging and when you remove it doesnt beak any branches.

If it is behind your ball (therefore not in your line of play) , and not in the area of your swing you can break tree branches. It isn't nice to do that, but it isn't a rules violation.

jjj912 · April 8, 2009

Decision 13-2/37 Status of Moss or Creepers in Tree

Q. May moss, or a creeper, in a tree be removed if its removal would improve the line of play?

A. No. Trees are the natural habitat of some mosses and creepers. Accordingly, such plants growing in a tree may not be moved — see Rule 13-2.

Moss or a creeper which has fallen to the ground, and is not growing there, is a loose impediment and may be removed, without penalty — see Rule 23-1.