Before moving a ball, identify where it lies, what is interfering and which rule gives you a choice. The same awkward shot can call for free relief, a penalty or playing the ball as it lies. This guide covers common situations under the Rules of Golf; the committee’s local rules and your form of play also matter.
Start with the situation
Check the scorecard, competition notice and local rules before the round. Establish whether you are playing stroke play or match play and how to contact the committee. For an unfamiliar ruling, keep the original position identifiable while checking the official rule. Describe the facts: ball location, boundary markings, intended shot and the source of interference.
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| Situation | Starting point | What matters |
|---|---|---|
| Ball on a cart path in the general area | Rule 16: abnormal course conditions | Whether the path interferes with the lie, intended stance or swing. |
| Ball in a red or yellow penalty area | Rule 17: penalty areas | The color and the point where the ball last crossed the edge. |
| Ball lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds | Rule 18: stroke and distance | Search time, a provisional and any applicable local rule. |
| Found ball you decide you cannot play | Rule 19: unplayable ball | Its position and whether it is in a bunker or penalty area. |
Use the USGA rules resources for the full text and current clarifications. A playing partner’s customary procedure may differ from the rule that applies today.
Free relief: find the nearest complete relief
For ordinary cart-path interference in the general area, establish the nearest point of complete relief: the nearest spot, no closer to the hole, where the path stops interfering with the shot you would reasonably play. This is a reference point, not a choice of the nicest lie. The one-club-length relief area must remain in the general area, no nearer the hole, and provide complete relief from the condition.
Check the possible relief area before lifting. It may be in rough. A boundary fence has a different status from a cart path, and line-of-play interference alone generally gives no free relief away from a putting green. The USGA abnormal-course-conditions guide explains the distinctions; local rules and special situations can change the procedure.
Penalty areas: use the crossing point
You may usually play a ball from a penalty area as it lies. If taking relief outside it, add one penalty stroke. Both red and yellow areas offer stroke-and-distance and back-on-the-line options. Red areas also offer lateral relief within two club-lengths of the estimated last crossing point, no nearer the hole and outside that penalty area.
For back-on-the-line relief, keep the last crossing point between the hole and the place you drop. Under the 2023 procedure, drop on that line; the ball must finish within one club-length of where it first touches the ground, within the permitted area and no nearer the hole than the crossing point. Check USGA penalty-area guidance and Rule 17 before applying the details to an unusual lie.
Evidence must establish that a missing ball is known or virtually certain to be in the penalty area before you use that rule. A ball that might simply be lost nearby can require Rule 18 instead. A provisional is unavailable when the only possible loss is in a penalty area.
Lost balls, out of bounds and a provisional
For a ball lost outside a penalty area or out of bounds, the standard procedure is stroke and distance: add one penalty stroke and play again from the previous spot. Search time is three minutes from when you or your caddie begin searching. When appropriate, clearly announce a provisional before playing it to save the walk back. See USGA lost-ball and provisional guidance.
Some courses adopt Model Local Rule E-5, offering an alternative for two penalty strokes. Confirm it is in effect and follow its defined relief area. An informal drop near where a ball disappeared is not automatically permitted.
Unplayable balls and completing a drop
Outside a penalty area, you may decide your ball is unplayable. For one penalty stroke, Rule 19 offers stroke and distance, back-on-the-line relief or lateral relief within two club-lengths of the ball, no nearer the hole. For lateral or back-on-the-line relief in a bunker, the ball must stay in that bunker; a separate back-on-the-line option outside costs two penalty strokes. Read the USGA unplayable-ball explanation for the conditions.
When dropping, release the ball from knee height while standing, without throwing, spinning or rolling it. Apply the chosen rule’s drop location and relief-area limits. If two correct drops fail to stay in the relief area, place the ball where it first touched the ground on the second drop. USGA explains the two-drop procedure.
Before playing, confirm the ball is in the required area and count the penalty. A rules penalty belongs in the playing score; handicap adjustments are a separate step explained in the handicap guide.