Rules ?

[scooterguitar]

Yesterday in league, a wild drive came flying into the par 3 green we were on. This has nothing to do with our group, but I'm curious.

The tee shot came to rest on the neighboring hole's green. Both holes run parralel over ponds. Obviously the guy was to move his ball w/o penalty.
Thing is, closest relief point was a trap, if he went to the other side it was a good 15 yards further away from his target green. Their ruling was to place the ball even closer to the target green, in front of the trap.
This right? If I was in the group I would have asked him to take it to the other side of the green.

 

[Diane]

We need Fourputt, but I think he had to play it from the bunker if that was the NPR. Don't listen to me though - NPR confuses me.

 

[Blue Arc]

The rule says no closer to the hole. It also says that if you can't find complete relief then you have to take the best you get. It also says you can't drop it in the bunker. Wasn't there some grass between the bunker and the green? Where's FourPutt?

 

[Craig Mac]

I would have played it as it lies and chunked a big 'ole divot right out of the green... oh Fourputt....

 

[OFvar]

Heres a quote from the USGA

The player must lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When dropping the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the wrong putting green and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule.

and

A dropped ball must be re-dropped, without penalty, if it:

(i) rolls into and comes to rest in a hazard;
(ii) rolls out of and comes to rest outside a hazard;
(iii) rolls onto and comes to rest on a putting green;
(iv) rolls and comes to rest out of bounds;
(v) rolls to and comes to rest in a position where there is interference by the condition from which relief was taken under Rule 24-2b (immovable obstruction), Rule 25-1 (abnormal ground conditions), Rule 25-3 (wrong putting green) or a Local Rule (Rule 33-8a), or rolls back into the pitch-mark from which it was lifted under Rule 25-2 (embedded ball);
(vi) rolls and comes to rest more than two club-lengths from where it first struck a part of the course; or
(vii) rolls and comes to rest nearer the hole than:

(a) its original position or estimated position (see Rule 20-2b) unless otherwise permitted by the Rules; or
(b) the nearest point of relief or maximum available relief (Rule 24-2, 25-1 or 25-3); or
(c) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or lateral water hazard (Rule 26-1).

and

A "bunker" is a hazard consisting of a prepared area of ground, often a hollow, from which turf or soil has been removed and replaced with sand or the like.

so interpret as you may

 

[Fourputt]

No interpretation necessary. Rule 25-3:

25-3. Wrong Putting Green

a. Interference

Interference by a wrong putting green occurs when a ball is on the wrong putting green.

Interference to a player's stance or the area of his intended swing is not, of itself, interference under this Rule.

b. Relief

If a player's ball lies on a wrong putting green, he must not play the ball as it lies. He must take relief, without penalty, as follows:

The player must lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When dropping the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the wrong putting green and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule.

Penalty for Breach of Rule:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes.

Note how many times the word "must" is used. That means that the player has no choice but to take relief as indicated. Some courses may even invoke a local rule that disallows dropping on the apron of the green as well.

In the above example, if the bunker is located such that there is no legal place to drop between it and the green, then it may be necessary to go beyond the bunker to establish the nearest point of relief. You don't start measuring your one clublength until you locate that NPR. In 99.9% of all cases there is one and only one NPR. It is entirely possible that the player may end up standing in the bunker to play the ball which is outside of the bunker. The player does not get to choose the best point of relief, only the nearest one.

 

[bogeyme]

Some courses may even invoke a local rule that disallows dropping on the apron of the green as well.

Prior to reading your post I was wondering why they didn't make him drop on the fringe and play from there. Your response above could be the reason.