Golf Shot Ends Up Right Next To Cart Path

Dear Golf Nut, if my golf ball ends up one inch from the cart path, am I allowed relief? In this situation, if I took my normal golf swing, my club would hit the concrete path. What am I allowed to do in this case?

I like this question because it addresses not only this situation, but some situations where I see golfers applying this ruling incorrectly on a very regular basis. So let me answer your golf rules question and address the other situation as well.
Let’s look at Rule 24 of the Rules Of Golf which deals with obstructions. This rule states that “Interference by an immovable obstruction occurs when a ball lies in or on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing.” So in your case the cart path interferes with the area of your intended swing.
Sounds like you get relief. Let’s make sure by reviewing what an obstruction is. According to the Rules of Golf:
An “obstruction” is anything artificial, including the artificial surfaces and sides of roads and paths and manufactured ice, except out of bounds markers and any immovable obstruction that is out of bounds.
So the cart path is an immovable obstruction and you are entitled to relief. That is the first part of this. The second part of this has to do with how golfers mess this one up. Many golfers, whether intentionally or not, take a lot of natural objects like trees and shrubs and count them as immovable obstructions and take relief. It may sound surprising, but I see this happen quite a bit.
Remember that an obstruction is anything artificial. So you don’t get relief from trees, shrubs etc. And the next time one of the golfers in your foursome tries it, you can call him on it if you want to or need to.
Good golfing and have fun.