2005 #4 What if your ball is beside a sprinkler switch box?

THE SCENE:
You are playing hole #7. Your approach shot flies over the green and lands beside a sprinkler switch box. You take your stance but the box interferes with your swing.

What would you do?
A. The box is an immoveable obstruction so you get free relief. Drop your ball within 1 club length of the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole.
B.  This one is easy. Just hit the ball sideways to avoid the box.
C. Declare the ball unplayable. Take a one stroke penalty and drop within two club lengths.

A is correct. You have interference from an immoveable obstruction.
How do you know this?
The box is an immovable obstruction.

Look in your Rules of Golf book under Definitions. Find Obstruction. It says:
An “obstruction’’ is anything artificial, including the artificial surfaces and sides of roads and paths and manufactured 
ice, except:
a. Objects defining out of bounds, such as walls, fences, stakes and railings;
b. Any part of an immovable artificial object that is out of bounds; and
Any construction declared by the Committee to be an integral part of the course. 

An obstruction is a movable obstruction if it may be moved without unreasonable effort, without unduly delaying play and without causing damage. Otherwise it is an immovable obstruction.

You do have interference. Look at Rule #24-2a
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.

You do get free relief. Look at Rule #24-2b
Relief:
Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an immovable obstruction as follows:
(i) Through the Green: If the ball lies through the green, the player must lift the ball and drop it ,without penalty, within one club-length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief must not be in a hazard or on a putting green. When the ball is dropped within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, the ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green.

So, just drop your ball within 1 club length of the nearest point of relief (see rule above) and play. (No penalty.)

REMEMBER: If your ball is next to an immovable obstruction that interferes with your stance or swing you get FREE relief.