Ask the Ref: What do you do if your ball lands off the green on the apron behind a sprinkler head?

By Sheila Waltham

If my ball lands off the green on the apron behind a sprinkler head and my preferred next shot onto the green is a putt, am I allowed relief from the sprinkler head?

That depends!!!!

Sprinkler heads around greens are an unfortunate necessity in the game of golf, but the Rules do, on occasion, allow some relief.

Firstly, a sprinkler head is an immovable obstruction (IO). The Rule that applies refers to all IOs, not just sprinkler heads. Close to a putting green this would include manholes, drainage covers, signage to next tee etc. Rule 16.1 allows relief from interference by IOs anywhere on the course, except in a penalty area. Under this Rule, the player may take relief if the ball is touching the IO or the IO physically interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing. (Relief is only given for interference on line of play if the ball lies on the putting green).

In this instance the ball lies on the apron, therefore it lies in the General Area (this includes all areas of the course except the teeing area and putting green of the hole being played, all bunkers and penalty areas).

If there is interference under this Rule then free relief is available and taken as follows:

• determine your nearest point of complete relief in the General Area and
• drop the ball within one club length, no nearer the hole and from where there is complete relief from the IO.

There is an exception: relief would not be allowed if it would be clearly unreasonable e.g. the player cannot make a stroke because of the ball lying in the middle of a bush or the player is trying to claim relief by choosing a stance, swing or direction of play that is unreasonable in the circumstances.

If there is no interference under Rule 16.1, then the player would need to choose a different stroke, putt in a different direction or take unplayable relief.

However, if your situation does not meet the conditions allowing you relief under Rule 16-1, there might be another option…..

[Whenever I give a Rules session in golf clubs, I always emphasise the importance of reading the local rules and temporary local rules before play. Local Rules do not change very often, they are frequently available on the back of the scorecard or, with increasing frequency, via a QR code on the scorecard. This latter method means that the Local Rules available to the player are always current. Temporary Local Rules may change daily dependent on green keepers works, so you should always check these. My recommendation is to use your phone to take a photo of these before play so that you have quick access to them should a problem arise. You also have the bonus that you can enlarge the print on your phone reducing the need for reading glasses!]

….. if the club concerned is using Model Local Rule F-5, this may provide relief from interference by IOs in the General Area that lie close to the putting green AND on line of play. Use of this Local Rule has become much more common in recent years, which is why it is important to read the Local Rules before play or at least have access to them on course. To use this relief the following conditions must be met:

• The IO MUST be on the line of play (which is not necessarily a straight line to the hole)
• AND the IO is on or within two club lengths of the putting green
• AND within two club lengths of the ball

Complete relief must be taken from both physical and line of play interference.

Once again, there is an exception: under this Local Rule there is no relief if the player chooses a line of play that is clearly unreasonable.

IF relief is available under Model Local Rule F-5, the procedure is to determine your nearest point of complete relief in the General Area and drop the ball within one club length, no nearer the hole and from where there is complete relief from the IO.

Remember, Rules aren’t there only to penalise you. You can often use them to help you, which is why it pays to read those Local Rules before you play.

About the author

Sheila Waltham has been a qualified rules official for over 15 years and joined the England Golf Tournament Panel of Referees in 2019. A keen golfer since 1995, Sheila’s interest in the Rules was born out of the realisation that a lot of the information she received as a novice golfer was incorrect. So, she took matters into her own hands!

Become a whizz on the rules and check out our previous Ask the Ref features, like this one: What happens if my golf ball ends up in a puddle?