Relief from artificial paths...... | Golf Monthly

I've played several courses where paths are deemed integral parts of the course with no free relief. However, if they are "artificially surfaced" then relief can be taken.

Nope sorry but that is wrong. Relief from paths is granted under rule 24-2 Immovable obstructions.

The definition of obstruction:
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

c. 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.
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So when a path (no matter how surfaced) is declared a integral part of the course then relief can not be taken under the rule as it is no longer classed as an obstruction. You can move the stones/woodchip or any loose surfacing material away from the area around the ball as they are still classed as loose impediments. This means you should be able to clear the stones. You can't clear loose impediments in the bunker unless a local rule allows hence the seemingly contradictory rulings.

Even when you can take relief under the rule it is not always practical to do so.

Consider the following for a right handed player. Where the dark green area is bushes and the arrow indicates the direction of play. Where is the nearest point of relief? A,B or C.

ballonpath by worldofbob2001, on Flickr

If you answered B or C you'd be wrong. The nearest point of relief is A. Not really somewhere you'd want to take relief.
B would be the nearest point of relief for a left handed player and C is just a red herring.

This leaves you 2 options. Ball it as it lies or declare it unplayable and take a penalty drop within 2 club lengths.

Video of Phil Mickelson playing off cart path. To take relief would have taken him over to the right giving a bad lie and bad line.

I do agree that declaring paths as integral parts of the course is stupid but that's the rules and we must obey.

If you don't want to play of a path which has been declared an integral part of the course then drop under penalty, resort to having a dinged up club in your bag for playing from paths or use your putter to play off the path without grounding the club to protect it. Better yet, avoid the paths