Have you been applying this common golf rule incorrectly?

Imagine this scenario: You’re in a match with your buddies, and one of them hits an approach shot that finished just off the green. The ball is on the fringe and your opponent should be able to putt it. The only problem is, there’s a sprinkler head directly between his ball and the hole.

In my experience, most golfers assume that because the sprinkler head interferes their line of play, it means they are entitled to free relief. But according to the Rules of Golf, relief in this scenario is not legal.

A sprinkler head falls under an “Abnormal Course Condition” (Rules 16.1). And when it comes to this soft of obstruction, relief is only permissible if the ball touches the abnormal course condition or if the abnormal course condition physically interferes with the player’s area of intended stance or area of intended swing. In the case of a sprinkler head being in the line of your putt from off the green, none of these criteria would be met — and relief would not be legal.

However, if Local Rule F-5 is in place (which is often the case on the PGA Tour), free relief would be granted. According to the local rule, “if the aprons or fringes of putting greens are cut short enough that putting from off the green is likely to be a common choice of stroke, immovable obstructions that are close to the putting green may interfere with such strokes. In that case, the Committee can choose to give an extra relief option under Rule 16.1 when a player’s ball lies in the general area and an immovable obstruction close to the putting green is on the player’s line of play.”

So, next time you’re in a match with your buddies, be sure to specify if Local Rule F-5 is in play. If it isn’t, you won’t be able to take free relief when a sprinkler head interferes with your putt from off the green.