Artificial Obstructions On The Golf Course

Artificial obstructions on the golf course are made up of anything man-made that gets in the way of the ball. There are two types of artificial obstructions that you will find; movable obstructions and immovable obstructions.

Movable Obstructions: Movable obstructions can be anything such as a cigarette, a soft drink can, shovel, food wrappers, etc. These items can be simply removed from the course so that you can play your ball from where it lies. If any of these objects are actually touching the ball, then you are allowed to mark the spot, lift the ball up, remove the item, then put the ball back in the original position.

Immovable Obstructions: The second type of artificial obstruction is known as the immovable type. Such examples include large trailers, sprinkler heads, grandstands, etc. Basically, anything that is too large or heavy to be moved by a golf player is considered an immovable obstruction. If your ball happens to land in or underneath one of these items then you are allowed to move the ball back into play without being penalized.