#2 - THE FREE DROPPER

#2 - THE FREE DROPPER

Always remember the immortal words of R&A executive director David Rickman: "a drop must be taken at the nearest point of relief, not the nicest point of relief."

Staked trees allow a free drop within one club length of the ‘nearest’ point of relief from the obstruction but invariably, the cheat wants full advantage from the situation.

For example, a drive off the tee is hooked into a plantation of staked young trees on the left of the fairway and finishes within inches of the right-hand side of a staked sappling.

The cheat would automatically deem the clear, fairway side to be the dropping area on the right of the tree. However, chances are that left of the tree is the nearest point from which a full swing and unimpared stance can be taken – then one club length from there, no nearer the hole.

Watch too, that the ball is dropped from shoulder height – not knee level to affect a better lie.