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Is it a Loose Impediment?
Rule 23 is dedicated to certain "natural objects" found on a golf course that might interfere with play. It is considered reasonable that the player may remove such loose objects from almost anywhere on the course, but the first thing we need to know is whether or not the object really is a loose impediment.
The definition on page 28 of the Rules of Golf booklet advises that:
“Loose impediments’’ are natural objects including:
• stones, leaves, twigs, branches and the like,
• dung, and
• worms and insects and casts or heaps made by them,
provided they are not:
• fixed or growing,
• solidly embedded, or
• adhering to the ball.
Sand and loose soil are loose impediments on the putting green, but not elsewhere.
Snow and natural ice, other than frost, are either casual water or loose impediments, at the option of the player.
Dew and frost are not loose impediments.
These are differentiated from man-made objects, called obstructions, which are covered in Rule 24.
As you can see, to be loose impediments, the natural objects must really be loose. They cannot be fixed or growing, solidly embedded, or adhering to the ball. What if a stone is partially embedded? If it can be picked up with ease, i.e. without needing to pry it loose or dig it up, it is loose. Also, size doesn’t necessarily matter in determining whether the stone is loose. If it is not solidly embedded and may be removed without unduly delaying play, it is a loose impediment. In fact, if these conditions are met, a player may be assisted by spectators, caddies, fellow-competitors, etc. in removing a large loose impediment (see Decisions 23-1/2 & 23-1/3).
The definition also states that sand and loose soil are loose impediments on the putting green only. They cannot be removed anywhere else on the course, including the fringe of the green.
The status of various objects not specifically mentioned in the Definition need clarification. The “Decisions on the Rules of Golf” advise that the following objects ARE loose impediments:
- A half-eaten pear, whether or not there is a pear tree in the vicinity.
- A fruit skin
- An ant hill
- Insect-like creatures, such as spiders. Also, a spider web is considered to be a cast made by an insect and is also a loose impediment, even if attached to another object.
- Dead animals, eg snakes or land crabs.
- A fallen tree if it is not attached to the stump.
- A worm partially underground.
- Plugs of compacted soil produced through aeration of fairways.
- Loose clods of earth. Although loose soil is not a loose impediment except on the putting green, a clod of earth is not loose soil.
- Gravel used to surface a road or path. The gravel is a loose impediment even though the road becomes an artificially surfaced road and thus an obstruction when covered with gravel.
- Saliva may be treated as either a loose impediment or an abnormal ground condition, at the option of the player.
- Grass cuttings are always loose impediments. They are also ground under repair if they have been piled for removal.
- A live insect on a ball. A live insect, whether stationary or crawling, is not considered to be adhering to the ball, so it is a loose impediment.
On the other hand, the following objects are NOT loose impediments:
- Live animals are outside agencies, not loose impediments.
- A fallen tree still attached to the stump.
- A solidly embedded acorn.
- A ball embedded in fruit, eg, an orange. Since the orange is adhering to the ball, it is not a loose impediment.
- Loose soil from the cast of a hole made by a burrowing animal.
- Moss or creepers growing in a tree.
- A divot which is not completely detached is not a loose impediment.
Next month’s article will address the subject of relief from loose impediments.
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