No-play zone

Question regarding plants in and outside a no-play zone

There was a "heated" discussion around the topic of "facilitating a no-play zone".
Specifically, it was about the following situation:

The ball is not in the obstacle, but is obstructed in its swing by a branch growing out of the no-play zone.

We have three opinions:

1. play the ball as it lies
2. relief until stance and swing are free with penalty stroke
3. relief until stance and swing are free without penalty stroke

Answer:

The no-play zone can be found in the explanations/definitions in the rule book. A part of the court on which play is prohibited by the referee.

No-play zone71 - Status of plants protruding from a no-play zone

- The status of plants protruding from a no-play zone depends on the type of no-play zone. This is important as the plants may be part of the no-play zone and the player must then claim relief.
- Example: If a no-play zone is labelled as a penalty area (whose boundaries continue above and below ground level), any part of a plant that protrudes beyond the boundaries of the no-play zone is not part of the no-play zone. However, if the no-play zone is labelled as ground under repair (which includes all the ground within the designated area and anything growing within and extending above the ground and outside the boundaries), anything that protrudes beyond the boundary of the no-play zone is part of that no-play zone.

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