If it is resting up against the sprinkler head, you can move it with a free drop. If the sprinkler head affects your swing or prevents you from taking your normal stance, you can move the ball under Rule 16. However, none of those things applies in this example.
When can a player take free relief in golf?
The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b, except that: The nearest point of complete relief Abnormal Course Condition: Any of these four defined conditions: and the relief area Relief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule.
Where can I drop my golf ball?
Where Can I Drop It? When taking free relief under the Rules from an immovable obstruction (Rule 24-2), an abnormal ground condition (Rule 25-1) or a wrong putting green (Rule 25-3), the ball must be dropped within one club-length of the “nearest point of relief”.
What are the rules for dropping a golf ball?
These areas generally include sensitive areas, ground under repair, casual water, and man-made immovable obstructions. The rule is to find the single nearest point of relief without moving closer to the hole, and drop your ball within one club length.
When do you have to drop the ball on a putting green?
When taking free relief under the Rules from an immovable obstruction (Rule 24-2), an abnormal ground condition (Rule 25-1) or a wrong putting green (Rule 25-3), the ball must be dropped within one club-length of the “nearest point of relief”.
When can you take a drop in golf?
A golfer typically takes a drop after hitting his ball in an area from which he either can't play another shot or chooses not to play his next shot. As a general rule, if the ball is in a hazard or is out of bounds, the player is assessed a penalty stroke for taking the drop.
When in golf do you get a free drop?
(2) When Ball Is in Penalty Area. The player may take free relief or penalty relief: Free Relief: Playing from Inside Penalty Area. The player may take free relief under Rule 16.1b, except that the nearest point of complete relief.
Can you always take a drop in golf?
Penalty areas marked with yellow stakes only allow two drop options. You can drop in the relief area or the line of sight. You cannot drop laterally like a red penalty area.
What are the rules for taking a drop?
Topic Overview: When taking relief, whether with penalty or without, you must drop a ball. The ball must be dropped straight down from knee height, must be dropped by you (or your partner), must first strike the ground within your relief area, and must remain within that relief area.
What is the new drop rule in golf?
The New Rule: The new rule states that a player's only requirement is that the ball must be at knee height when dropping and must not touch any part of a player's body or equipment before hitting the ground.
Is a lost ball a 2 stroke penalty?
Local rule for out of bounds, lost ball If a player hits a ball out of bounds or loses a ball, the general rules still require the player to return to the spot of the previous stroke and take a one-stroke penalty - a standard stroke-and-distance scenario.
How many strokes is an unplayable lie?
one-strokeIf you find your ball in play, but in a circumstance where you are not able to make a swing or advance the ball, then you are always entitled to claim an unplayable lie. Under this rule, you incur a one-stroke penalty, but are permitted to take relief from your troubling situation.
Do you get a free drop from a rabbit hole?
#1 - Golf ball in a rabbit hole: When your ball is in a rabbit hole, you get a free drop under Rule 16... but you must have a reasonable stroke into the back of the ball in order to get that free relief.
Can you take relief from a tree?
When a player's ball lies above the ground (such as in a bush or a tree), the player may take lateral relief by using the point on the ground directly below the spot of the ball as his or her reference point: The relief area.
How many clubs do you need for a free drop?
When dropping a ball “the ball must first strike a part of the course where the applicable Rule requires it to be dropped”, which is usually within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay depending on the Rule you are gaining relief from, and not nearer the hole.
How many club-lengths do you need for free relief?
When you are entitled to free relief it is one club-length and when you incur a penalty it is two club-lengths.
Can you take a drop out of the rough?
Embedded ball (Rule 16) Now, you can take a free drop from all embedded balls in the “general area”, including in the semi-rough and rough. Good to know: Balls embedded in a bunker or in penalty areas still have to be played as they lie.
What does a free drop mean in golf?
When the player is allowed to pick up his ball from a specific area, such as ground under repair or casual water, and drop it without incurring a penalty stroke.
Do you get relief from a tree root in golf?
Is there any free relief, or is it just play it as it lies? Answer: The Rules of Golf stipulate that this is play it as it lies, similar to a ball being up a tree, or on top of a rock. If you don't wish to play it as it lies, then you can take an unplayable, which will cost you a one stroke penalty. .
What is a free drop?
1 : a dropping (as of supplies) from airplanes to the ground without parachutes. 2 : something dropped by free-drop.
Do you get relief from a molehill in golf?
MOLE HILLS A mole hill is a cast if in its natural state and relief is permissable under Rule 25-1b. Once flattened it becomes part of the course and there is no relief even if soil remains.
How far behind the hazard can you drop a ball?
The second option available under these rules is to drop a ball behind the hazard or the unplayable ball reference point, keeping the reference point directly in line with the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped. There is no limit to how far behind the reference point the ball may be dropped. Note that the ball is to be dropped directly ...
What is relief under penalty?
Relief under penalty of one stroke is available if your ball is lost or out of bounds, is in a water hazard or if you declare it unplayable. In each case, one option available is to play a ball under stroke and distance. Dropping under this option requires a ball to be dropped as near as possible to where the last stroke was made ...
What is the third option in golf?
The third option is available only for a ball which is in a lateral water hazard or which is deemed unplayable. Under this option a ball may be dropped within two club-lengths of, and no nearer the hole than, the reference point.
What is the reference point of a water hazard?
For a water hazard (or lateral water hazard) the reference point is the point where the ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard. For an unplayable ball, the reference point is where the ball currently lies.
When taking free relief under the Rules from an immovable obstruction (Rule 24-2), an abnormal ground condition (
When taking free relief under the Rules from an immovable obstruction (Rule 24-2), an abnormal ground condition (Rule 25-1) or a wrong putting green (Rule 25-3), the ball must be dropped within one club-length of the “nearest point of relief”.
Can you borrow a golf club to measure?
You may use any club you have selected for the round for the purpose of measuring the one or two club-length area. Also, you may borrow a club to measure with, provided the spot on which the ball is dropped could have been reached with one of your own clubs selected for the round (Decision 20/2).
Golf Magazine
A golf, food and travel writer, Josh Sens has been a GOLF Magazine contributor since 2004 and now contributes across all of GOLF’s platforms. His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting. He is also the co-author, with Sammy Hagar, of Are We Having Any Fun Yet: the Cooking and Partying Handbook.
Subscribe To The Magazine
A golf, food and travel writer, Josh Sens has been a GOLF Magazine contributor since 2004 and now contributes across all of GOLF’s platforms. His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting. He is also the co-author, with Sammy Hagar, of Are We Having Any Fun Yet: the Cooking and Partying Handbook.
What is an unplayable ball relief?
Take unplayable ball relief under Rule 19 . For what to do when there is interference by a no play zone No Play Zone: A part of the course where the Committee has prohibited play. A no play zone must be defined as part of either an abnormal course condition or a penalty area. (...
What happens if a ball is not found?
(...Continued) that the ball came to rest in or on an abnormal course condition Abnormal Course Condition: Any of these four defined conditions: on the course Course: The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee: (...Continued), the player may use this relief option instead of taking stroke-and-distance Stroke and Distance: The procedure and penalty when a player takes relief under Rules 17, 18 or 19 by playing a ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6). (...Continued) relief:
What is the penalty for playing the wrong ball?
(... Continued) in Breach of Rule 16.1: General Penalty General Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play.
What is free relief?
This Rule covers free relief that is allowed from interference by animal holes Animal Hole: Any hole dug in the ground by an animal, except for holes dug by animals that are also defined as loose impediments (such as worms or insects). (...Continued), ground under repair Ground Under Repair: Any part of the course the Committee defines to be ground under repair (whether by marking it or otherwise). Any defined ground under repair includes both: (...Continued), immovable obstructions Immovable Obstruction: Any obstruction that: (...Continued) or temporary water Temporary Water: Any temporary accumulation of water on the surface of the ground (such as puddles from rain or irrigation or an overflow from a body of water) that: (...Continued) :
What is a no play zone on putting green?
The player must take free relief under Rule 16.1d . (2) When No Play Zone Interferes with Stance or Swing for Ball Anywhere on Course Except Penalty Area. If a player’s ball is outside a no play zone No Play Zone: A part of the course where the Committee has prohibited play.
When playing the ball as it lies would be clearly unreasonable?
When playing the ball as it lies would be clearly unreasonable because of something other than an abnormal course condition Abnormal Course Condition : Any of these four defined conditions: (such as when a player is standing in temporary water Temporary Water: Any temporary accumulation of water on the surface of the ground (such as puddles from rain or irrigation or an overflow from a body of water) that: (...Continued) or on an immovable obstruction Immovable Obstruction: Any obstruction that: (...Continued) but would be unable to make a stroke Stroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball. (...Continued) because of where the ball lies in a bush), or
When the ball is in a no play zone, what is the definition of "no play zone"?
If the player’s ball is in a no play zone No Play Zone: A part of the course where the Committee has prohibited play. A no play zone must be defined as part of either an abnormal course condition or a penalty area.
How far can you drop a golf ball from a water hazard?
If a player takes a drop rather than hitting from a hazard -- such as a water hazard, for example -- she must take a 1-stroke penalty. According to Rule 26-1b of the Rules of Golf, she may drop the ball as far from the water hazard as she wishes, provided the spot is farther from the hole than the point at which the ball entered the hazard. Also, the location where the ball entered the water hazard must remain directly between the hole and the drop location.
What happens if you take a drop in golf?
As a general rule, if the ball is in a hazard or is out of bounds, the player is assessed a penalty stroke for taking the drop. If the ball arrives in unplayable ground through no fault ...
How does Rule 20-2A work?
Rule 20-2a explains how the drop is executed. The drop must be made by the player who hit the shot. The golfer must stand up straight and extend his arm at shoulder level, then drop the ball. If the ball strikes any person, or any person’s equipment, the ball must be re-dropped without penalty.
What is relief in golf?
Players may be granted relief when hitting into a normally playable area that’s been temporarily altered, such as ground under repair or a mound made by a burrowing animal. For example, when the course is wet a ball hit into the fairway may become embedded in the ground.
What is a no spin zone?
The No-Spin Zone. Under the Rules of Golf the word “drop” is taken literally. The player may not spin the ball to try to influence its final location. Doing so incurs a 1-stroke penalty, according to U.S. Golf Association Decision 20-2a/1.
Can you drop a golf ball without penalty?
Pursuant to Rule 25-2, the golfer may lift and clean the ball, then may drop it without penalty in a playable location. The ball must be dropped as near to the original location as possible, but not nearer to the hole.
What is relief area?
The relief area is always measured from a reference point. The reference point for an unplayable ball is simply the spot where the ball lies. For a ball in a penalty area, it is the spot where the ball crossed the edge of the penalty area. When taking relief from things like temporary water, ground under repair, cart paths, ...
What to do if the ball doesn't stay in the relief area?
If the ball doesn’t stay in the relief area after dropping it, simply drop it again. If it again doesn’t stay in the relief area, place a ball on the spot where it struck the ground on the second drop. When taking relief, a club-length is always the length of the longest club in your bag (excluding your putter).
What is club length?
When taking relief, a club-length is always the length of the longest club in your bag (excl uding your putter). For most players, this will be their driver. You may leave the headcover on when measuring, but the extra length doesn’t count – the club-length is still simply the length of the driver itself.
What happens when a golf ball comes to rest?
If your ball comes to rest in one of the following circumstances, and one of these situations inteferes with your lie, stance or area of intended swing, you may take relief without penalty: Intereference from an immovable obstruction: Any obstruction that can't be moved, such as a cart path or maintenance road.
What is the closest point of relief in golf?
The "nearest point of relief" in golf is a spot on a golf course closest to the golfer's ball but no closer to the hole from which the golfer can take a free drop (without penalty) when that golf ball is sitting in one of several specific circumstances that are mostly covered in Rule 16 . On this page we'll outline those circumstances, ...
What is the closest point of complete relief?
Important: The "relief" in "nearest point of complete relief" is relief from the original condition interfering with your shot. It is NOT relief from interference or issues caused by any other condition.
Can you play the ball off the cart path?
You have the option to play the ball as it lies, except for a wrong putting green (and, typically, GUR). If your nearest point of relief is in a terrible spot, then you can choose to (sticking with our example) play the ball off the cart path rather than take the free relief.
Can you lift your golf ball after you use the NPR?
So remember: Only lift your ball after you've decided to use the NPR.
When did the nearest point of relief change?
First, note that in the edition of the rule book that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2019, the term "nearest point of relief" was replaced by "nearest point of complete relief.". That is the term now in use in the Rules of Golf.
Can you take relief if your putting green is wrong?
Note that you must take relief if your ball is on a wrong putting green, and that "interference to a player’s stance or the area of his intended swing is not, of itself, interference" by a wrong putting green. In the other circumstances, however, interference with your lie or your stance or your area of intended swing entitles you to free relief, ...
