Rules question · Rule 8.1c · Hard
Pulled out a boundary stake and put it back: is there a penalty?
Your ball is in bounds, but a boundary stake interferes with your swing, so you pull it out. Another player points out that this is not allowed. You put the stake back in exactly the same place and only then play. What is the ruling?
Answer
No penalty, because you restored the original conditions before the stroke
Pulling out the stake was a breach, because it improved the area of your intended swing. But you can avoid the penalty by restoring the original conditions before the stroke: the same stake in exactly the same place. If you play without the stake or only put it back afterwards, you get the general penalty.