...happened today on #18 in tournament play.

My drive faded right and rolled barely inside a red staked hazard which was identified also by red spray paint. The ball was very playable, but two inches in front of the ball was a stick about a foot long and maybe three inches thick. Half of the stick was in the hazard, the other half out - the spray paint went over the stick.

If I could have moved the stick, there would have been a clear shot to the green. But since you cannot move a loose debris in a hazard, I was perplexed. I decided that since I was in the hazard, even the stick being half/in half/out, that it probably meant don't touch it.

So I punched out sideways. Agreed that this was right move? Or is a loose impediment which is not wholly contained within the hazard ok to move?

I agree that you made the correct decision

jfurr wrote:

The ball was very playable, but two inches in front of the ball was a stick about a foot long and maybe three inches thick. Half of the stick was in the hazard, the other half out - the spray paint went over the stick. If I could have moved the stick, there would have been a clear shot to the green. But since you cannot move a loose debris in a hazard, I was perplexed. I decided that since I was in the hazard, even the stick being half/in half/out, that it probably meant don't touch it. So I punched out sideways. Agreed that this was right move? Or is a loose impediment which is not wholly contained within the hazard ok to move?

This is a good example of why the Rules of Golf have so many pages as well as a "Decisions" book. I could not find a "Decision" that dealt with this issue. The Rules state one may not move a loose impediment lying in or touching a hazard. Since the stick was touching the hazard it looks like you made the correct call. It would be nice if the USGA/R&A clarified the rule by stating "either wholly or partially lying in or touching".

bkuehn1952 wrote:

jfurr wrote: The ball was very playable, but two inches in front of the ball was a stick about a foot long and maybe three inches thick. Half of the stick was in the hazard, the other half out - the spray paint went over the stick. If I could have moved the stick, there would have been a clear shot to the green. But since you cannot move a loose debris in a hazard, I was perplexed. I decided that since I was in the hazard, even the stick being half/in half/out, that it probably meant don't touch it. So I punched out sideways. Agreed that this was right move? Or is a loose impediment which is not wholly contained within the hazard ok to move? This is a good example of why the Rules of Golf have so many pages as well as a "Decisions" book. I could not find a "Decision" that dealt with this issue. The Rules state one may not move a loose impediment lying in or touching a hazard. Since the stick was touching the hazard it looks like you made the correct call. It would be nice if the USGA/R&A clarified the rule by stating "either wholly or partially lying in or touching".

I think the word "touching" succinctly sums up the intention of the rule.

The words in the Rule 'lying in or touching' say all that's required.

Yep, that's pretty clear. Thanks guys. Guess I could have looked it up in the rules to confirm that myself