Supported trees Penalty area

Question from a golfer:

A ball lies in the penalty area on a supported tree, does it have to be played as it lies or is there a free drop? Is it allowed to remove the support (a thin wooden stick) which can be easily removed?

On the score card under course rules it says free drop for supported trees. Should it say "except in penalty area"?

Answer:
This course rule is imprecise and therefore not easy to decide, but since the phrase "except in penalty area" is missing, I assume that the course management wants to prevent damage to young trees by a player's stroke in the penalty area and thus wants to enforce the model course rule E-10 and not regard the supported tree as an immovable obstacle according to rule 16 (where relief in the penalty area is excluded) or even the stick as a movable obstacle (rule 15).

Model court rule E-10: Protection of young trees (Penalty Area)
Purpose:
In order to prevent damage to young trees by a player's stroke, the match management may declare them a no-play area. A player must claim penalty-free relief under Rule 16 1f if he suffers any kind of obstruction as described in Rule 16 1 from a tree declared a no-play area

If the player's ball is in a penalty area, he must either take non-penalty relief under the court rule within the penalty area or take a penalty stroke under
Rule 17 1.

Such trees should be identified by stakes, ribbons or in some other clear way.

If the tree has grown in size and no longer requires this protection, the referee should
should cancel the ground rule and/or remove the identifying stake or tape from the tree.

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