Golf Rules: Relief from Obstruction and Penalty Areas

Ball Lost or Out of Bounds

• If a player thinks their ball may be lost or out of bounds, they should hit a "Provisional Ball" (Rule 27-2).
• A ball is "out of bounds" if it lies entirely outside the course boundaries, marked by white stakes.
• A ball is "lost" if it's not found or identified within five minutes of searching, or if the player has played a stroke with a provisional ball from beyond where the original ball is likely to be.

Stroke and Distance

• If the ball is out of bounds, the only option is to take "Stroke and Distance" (Rule 27-2).
• This means going back to the original position and incurring a penalty of one stroke.

Ball Unplayable

• A ball can be declared unplayable at any place on the course, except when it lies in or touches a penalty area (Rule 28).
• The player incurs a penalty of one stroke and can choose from three options:
  • Play a ball with "Stroke and Distance".
  • Drop a ball within two club-lengths, no nearer the hole.
  • Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot from which the ball is to be dropped.

Teeing Ground

• A teeing ground is a rectangular area, two-club lengths in depth, defined by two tee markers (Rule 11).
• Tee markers cannot be moved.
• If a player plays from outside the markers, they may incur a penalty of two strokes or lose the hole.

Re-Dropping

• A ball may be re-dropped if it:
  • Rolls into a hazard or vice versa.
  • Rolls to rest on a putting green.
  • Rolls out of bounds.
  • Rolls to where complete relief is not taken.
  • Rolls more than two club-lengths from where the ball first struck.
  • Rolls nearer the hole from its original position (Rule 20).

Loose Impediments

• Loose impediments are natural objects, such as stones, leaves, twigs, branches, and dung, worms, insects, provided they are not fixed or growing, and do not adhere to the golf ball (Rule 23).
• Sand and loose soils are loose impediments on the putting green only.
• Loose impediments may be removed without penalty, including in bunkers and penalty areas.

Obstructions

• An obstruction is anything artificial, including the artificial surfaces and sides of roads and cart paths.
• Relief from a movable obstruction: if the ball lies in or on the obstruction, the ball may be lifted without penalty, and the obstruction removed (Rule 24).
• Relief from an immovable obstruction: if the obstruction interferes with the player's stance or intended swing, they are entitled to relief (Rule 24).

Penalty Areas

• A penalty area is anything deemed by the committee, and does not need to have water in it (Rule 26).
• A yellow penalty area is marked with yellow stakes, and a lateral-red penalty area is marked with red stakes.
• If the ball lies in, touches, or is lost in a yellow penalty area, the player may:
  • Play the ball as it lies (no penalty).
  • Play the ball from where it was last played (stroke and distance).
  • Drop a ball behind the hazard, keeping the point at which the ball last crossed the margin of the hazard between the drop spot and hole.
• A lateral-red penalty area has a fourth option: drop a ball outside the hazard within two club-lengths from where the ball last crossed the margin of the penalty area.