What is an Obstruction?

An obstruction is anything artificial (rakes, cart paths, sprinkler heads, cans or papers, etc.), including the artificial surfaces and sides of roads and paths and manufactured ice except:

• Objects defining out of bounds, such as walls, fences, stakes and railings;
• Any part of an immovable object that is out of bounds:
• Any construction declared by the Committee to be an integral part of the course.

There are Two Kinds of Obstructions - Movable and Immovable

An obstruction is a movable obstruction if it may be moved without unreasonable effort, without unduly delaying play and without causing damage. Otherwise it is an immovable obstruction.

A Movable Obstruction may be moved anywhere on the course without penalty

• This includes in a bunker or a water hazard
• If the balls move as a result of moving the obstruction; No penalty and replace the ball. If the ball is not replaced, there is a penalty.
(loss of hole in match play or two strokes in stroke play)

An Immovable Obstruction must not be moved (you move the ball away instead)

• If the immovable obstruction interferes with the lie of the ball, your stance or your area of intended swing, you get free relief as long as your ball does not lie in a water hazard
• Find the nearest point on the course that avoids interference from the immovable obstruction that is not nearer the hole and drop the ball within one club-length of that point.

To view or print a summary of this Rule for club postings, click here.