OT: Question about Kevin Stadler's golf ball stuck in the cactus

[cliftonparksufan]

I just want to make sure that I understand what happened. Since his ball got stuck in the air, he received a free two club length drop from the spot it was stuck. However if the ball was on the ground and not stuck on the ers, he would have had to hit it as it lies.

If this is correct does that mean that if I hit a shot and it gets caught in a tree (since we have no cactus locally), as long as I can identify it as my ball, I would get a free drop.

Stadler is one lucky dude.

 

[690West]

I just want to make sure that I understand what happened. Since his ball got stuck in the air, he received a free two club length drop from the spot it was stuck. However if the ball was on the ground and not stuck on the ers, he would have had to hit it as it lies.

If this is correct does that mean that if I hit a shot and it gets caught in a tree (since we have no cactus locally), as long as I can identify it as my ball, I would get a free drop.

Stadler is one lucky dude.

You definitely don't get a free drop if your ball is stuck in a regular tree. I think today's ruling had to do with it being dangerous for Stadler to try and play it out of the cactus. I still don't understand why it would then be a free drop though. Wait til all the arm chair rules officials call into the PGA tonight. ugh

 

[Eagles20]

I just want to make sure that I understand what happened. Since his ball got stuck in the air, he received a free two club length drop from the spot it was stuck. However if the ball was on the ground and not stuck on the ers, he would have had to hit it as it lies.

If this is correct does that mean that if I hit a shot and it gets caught in a tree (since we have no cactus locally), as long as I can identify it as my ball, I would get a free drop.

Stadler is one lucky dude.

That situation happened in a tournament last year to Rory where his ball was stuck in a tree, did not receive a free drop.

 

[jncuse]

He did not get a free drop. He incurred a one shot penalty, hit it on the green, and 3 putted for a double.

The only judgment the official made was that he did not require Stadler to pull the ball out and identify it as damaged before being replaced. Typically he would need to pull the ball out but that was deemed as a potential danger around the cactus.

 

[jordoo]

Penalty drop one stroke standard 2 club length unplayable. He was allowed to replace the ball by the the ref at his discretion.

 

[jncuse]

That situation happened in a tournament last year to Rory where his ball was stuck in a tree, did not receive a free drop.

2012 PGA at Kiawah.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

He did not get a free drop. He incurred a one shot penalty, hit it on the green, and 3 putted for a double.

The only judgment the official made was that he did not require Stadler to pull the ball out and identify it as damaged before being replaced. Typically he would need to pull the ball out but that was deemed as a potential danger around the cactus.

Ok I missed the one stroke penalty but he was still lucky he didn't have to play it where it lied.

 

[jncuse]

Ok I missed the one stroke penalty but he was still lucky he didn't have to play it where it lied.

You can take an unplayable lie anywhere on the golf course (not water). Even if you can put some metal on the ball, you are not forced to play.

At any time you can move the ball two club lengths no closer to the hole. Of course, it is at the cost of one penalty stroke.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

I may be wrong here, but perhaps the ruling may have something to do with the cactus having some sort of protected status from an environmental standpoint. Waste Mgmt, the sponsors, are all over the "green" aspect here of this tournament. Speculation on my part.

 

[jncuse]

Bubba is such a baby. Whining at his caddie after the missed putt on the 18th. This is not the first time Bubba has blamed his caddy for a bad shot in the last few holes of a tournament.

Man up .

 

[upperdeck]

i dont think his caddie made the bad putt on 16..

 

[cliftonparksufan]

You can take an unplayable lie anywhere on the golf course (not water). Even if you can put some metal on the ball, you are not forced to play.

At any time you can move the ball two club lengths no closer to the hole. Of course, it is at the cost of one penalty stroke.

No I realize that. Just wasn't thinking cause I guess I thought he got the free drop.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

I may be wrong here, but perhaps the ruling may have something to do with the cactus having some sort of protected status from an environmental standpoint. Waste Mgmt, the sponsors, are all over the "green" aspect here of this tournament. Speculation on my part.

Protected environmental areas are played the same way as lateral hazards, with the exception that you can't enter them to play your shot. One stroke penalty and play the ball within a drop of where it entered the environmental area. They would have to mark off the cactus as "environmental" if they wanted to play it that way.

I think the confusion with the Stadler drop is that many times on the PGA tour guys get free drops because of various structures on the course (grandstands, TV booths, scoreboards) that prevent them from taking a shot that would normally be available to them had the course not been set up for a tournament. Basically, if it's man-made and isn't a permanent fixture of the course (restrooms, shelters, benches, etc) then you can take a drop. Of course us normal folks rarely play a course with such temporary structures, so it's largely a moot point. Best example I can think of is if your shot ends up behind a piece of machinery that was left out on the course (mower, etc). You can take a drop from that.