Penalty Relief Presentation

Overview

• Penalty Areas (17)

• Stroke-and-Distance Relief; Ball Lost or Out of Bounds;

Provisional Ball (18)

• Unplayable Ball (19)

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Overview – Penalty Areas

• Definition of Penalty Area

• Options for Ball in Penalty Area (17.1)

• Options After Playing Ball from Penalty Area (17.2)

• No Relief Under Other Rules for Ball in Penalty Area

(17.3)

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Definition: Penalty Area

• An area from which relief

with a one-stroke penalty is

allowed if the player’s ball

comes to rest there.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Definition: Penalty Area

• Any body of water including:

ü Sea,

ü Lake,

ü Pond,

ü River,

ü Ditch,

ü Surface drainage ditch, or

ü Other open watercourse

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Definition: Penalty Area

• Any other part of the course

the Committee defines as a

penalty area.

(A penalty area is one of the five defined

areas of the course.)

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Definition: Penalty Area

• Two types of penalty areas:

ü Yellow penalty areas – 2 relief

options (Rules 17.1d(1) and (2))

ü Red penalty areas – 3 relief options

(& Rule 17.1d(3))

*If the colour of a penalty area has not

been marked or indicated by the

Committee, it is treated as a red penalty

area.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Definition: Penalty Area

• The edge of a penalty area extends both up above the ground and down

below the ground:

ü This means that all ground and anything else (such as any natural

or artificial object) inside the edge is part of the penalty area,

whether on, above or below the surface of the ground

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Definition: Penalty Area

• The edge of a penalty area should be defined by stakes, lines or

physical features:

ü Stakes: When defined by stakes, the edge of the penalty area is

defined by the line between the outside points of the stakes at

ground level, and the stakes are inside the penalty area.

ü Lines: When defined by a painted line on the ground, the edge of the

penalty area is the outside edge of the line, and the line itself is in

the penalty area.

ü Physical Features: When defined by physical features (such as a

beach or desert area or a retaining wall), the Committee should say

how the edge of the penalty area is defined.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Definition: Penalty Area

• When the edge of a body of water is not defined by the Committee, the

edge of that penalty area is defined by its natural boundaries (that is,

where the ground slopes down to form the depression that can hold the

water).

• If an open watercourse usually does not contain water (such as a

drainage ditch or run-off area that is dry except during a rainy season),

the Committee may define that area as part of the general area (which

means it is not a penalty area).

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Options for Ball in Penalty Area

• When Ball Is In Penalty Area (17.1a)

ü When any part of the ball:

• Lies in or touches the ground or anything else inside penalty area

• Is above the edge or any other part of penalty area

• Player May Play Ball as It Lies or Take Penalty Relief (17.1b)

ü The player may either:

• Play the ball as it lies without penalty, under the same Rules that

apply to a ball in the general area

• Play a ball from outside the penalty area by taking relief

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Options for Ball in Penalty Area

• Relief for Ball Not Found but in Penalty Area (17.1c)

ü If a player’s ball has not been found and it is known or

virtually certain that the ball came to rest in a penalty area:

• The player may take penalty relief under Rule 17.1d or

17.2

• Once the player puts another ball in play, the original

ball I no longer in play and must not be played.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief for Ball in Penalty Area (17.1d)

1) Stroke-and-Distance

Relief

• Player may play from

where the previous

stroke was made (Rule 14.6).

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief for Ball in Penalty Area (17.1d)

2) Back-On-the-Line

Relief

• Player must drop on the line

going straight back from the

hole through the estimated

point where the original ball

last crossed the edge of the

penalty area.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief for Ball in Penalty Area (17.1d)

2) Back-On-the-Line Relief

• Relief Area:

ü One club-length,

ü In any direction

ü Any area of course

except same penalty

area

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief for Ball in Penalty Area (17.1d)

3) Lateral Relief (Red

Only)

• Reference Point:

ü Estimated point where

the original ball last

crossed the edge of the

red penalty area

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief for Ball in Penalty Area (17.1d)

3) Lateral Relief (Red

Only)

• Relief Area:

ü Two club-lengths,

ü Not nearer hole than

reference point, and

ü Any area of course

except same penalty

area

2023 Rules of Golf – Free Relief

Questions

• Definition of Penalty Area

• Options for Ball in Penalty Area (17.1)

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Ball Played from Penalty Area Comes to

Rest in Same or Another Penalty Area

• Normal Relief Options

ü Stroke-and-distance

ü Back-on-the-line

ü Lateral relief (red penalty

area)

• Estimated point is where the

original ball last crossed the

edge of penalty area

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Ball Played from Penalty Area Comes to

Rest in Same or Another Penalty Area

• Extra Relief Option

ü Player may play a ball

from where he or she

made the last stroke from

outside a penalty area

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Ball Played from Penalty Area Is Lost, Out of

Bounds or Unplayable Outside Penalty Area

• If a player takes stroke-and-distance relief by dropping a ball in the penalty area

(see Rule 14.6) and then decides not to play the dropped ball from where it

comes to rest:

ü The player may take further relief outside the penalty area under Rule

17.1d(2) or (3) (for a red penalty area) or under Rule 17.2a(2).

ü If the player does so, he or she gets one more penalty stroke, for a total of

two penalty strokes: one stroke for taking stroke-and-distance relief, and

one stroke for taking relief outside the penalty area

*The player may directly take such relief outside the penalty area without first

dropping a ball in the penalty area, but still gets a total of two penalty strokes.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

No Relief Under Other Rules

• When a player’s ball is in a

penalty area, there is no relief

for:

ü Interference by an abnormal

course condition (16.1)

ü An embedded ball (rule 16.3)

ü An unplayable ball (Rule 19)

2023 Rules of Golf – Free Relief

Questions

• Options After Playing Ball from Penalty Area (17.2)

• No Relief Under Other Rules for Ball in Penalty Area

(17.3)

Overview – Stroke and Distance; Ball

Lost or Out of Bounds; Provisional Ball

• Definition of Lost and Out of Bounds

• Relief Under Penalty of Stroke and Distance Allowed at Any

Time (Rule 18.1)

• Ball Lost or Out of Bounds: Stroke-and-Distance Relief Must

Be Taken (18.2)

• Provisional Ball (18.3)

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Definition: Lost

• Player (or the player’s partner or

partner’s caddie) has three

minutes to search for ball

• If the search begins and is then

temporarily interrupted for a good

reason, the time between the

interruption and when the search

resumes does not count

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Definition: Out of Bounds

• All areas outside the

boundary edge of the course

as defined by the Committee.

All areas inside that edge are

in bounds.

• The boundary edge of the

course extends both up above

the ground and down below

the ground.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Definition: Out of Bounds

• When defined by stakes or a fence,

the boundary edge is defined by the

line between the course-side points

of the stakes or fence posts at

ground level, and those stakes or

fence posts are out of bounds.

• When defined by a painted line on

the ground, the boundary edge is

the course-side edge of the line, and

the line itself is out of bounds.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief Under Penalty of Stroke and

Distance Allowed at Any Time

• At any time, a player may

take stroke-and-distance

relief by adding one penalty

stroke and playing the

original ball or another ball

from where the previous

stroke was made.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Ball Lost or Out of Bounds: Stroke-and-

Distance Relief Must Be Taken

• Lost Ball

ü If a ball is found within 3 minutes but it is uncertain whether it is the

player’s ball:

• The player must promptly attempt to identify the ball (see Rule 7.2) and

is allowed a reasonable time to do so (1 minute), even if that happens

after the three minute search time has ended.

• Ball Out of Bounds

ü A ball at rest is out of bounds only when all of it is outside the boundary

edge of the course

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Ball Lost or Out of Bounds: Stroke-and-

Distance Relief Must Be Taken

• If a ball is lost or out of bounds, the player must take

stroke-and-distance relief

• Exception:

ü Player may substitute another ball under other Rule when

it is known or virtually certain what happened to the ball

(ex: came to rest in penalty area, moved by outside

influence, etc.)

2023 Rules of Golf – Free Relief

Questions

• Relief Under Penalty of Stroke and Distance Allowed

at Any Time (Rule 18.1)

• Ball Lost or Out of Bounds: Stroke-and-Distance Relief

Must Be Taken (18.2)

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

When Provisional Ball Is Allowed

• If a ball may be lost outside

a penalty area or be out of

bounds, to save time the

player may play another ball

provisionally under penalty

of stroke and distance

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Announcing Play of Provisional Ball

• Player must announce that

he or she is going to play a

provisional ball:

ü Player must use the

word “provisional” or

clearly indicate that he or

she is playing a ball

provisionally under Rule

18.3.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Playing Provisional Ball Until It Becomes

the Ball In Play or Is Abandoned

• Playing Provisional Ball

More Than Once

ü Player may continue to play

provisional ball so long as it

is played from a spot the

same distance or father from

the hole than where the

original is estimated to be.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Playing Provisional Ball Until It Becomes

the Ball In Play or Is Abandoned

• When Provisional Ball

Becomes Ball In Play:

ü When original ball is lost

anywhere on course except

penalty area or is out of bounds

ü When provisional ball is played

from spot nearer hole than

original ball is estimated to be

2023 Rules of Golf – Free Relief

Questions

• Provisional Ball (18.3)

Overview – Unplayable Ball

• Player May Decide to Take Unplayable Ball Relief

Anywhere Except Penalty Area (19.1)

• Relief Options for Unplayable Ball in General Area or on

Putting Green (19.2)

• Relief Options for Unplayable all in Bunker (19.3)

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Player May Decide to Take Unplayable

Ball Relief Anywhere Except Penalty Area

• Player is the only person

who may decide to treat his

or her ball as unplayable

• Unplayable ball relief is

allowed anywhere on the

course, except in a penalty

area.

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief Options: General Area or Putting Green

19.2a) Stroke-and-Distance

Relief

• Player may play from

where the previous

stroke was made (Rule 14.6).

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief Options: General Area or Putting Green

19.2b) Back-On-the-Line

Relief

• Player may drop on the line

going straight back from the

hole through the spot of the

original ball

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief Options: General Area or Putting Green

19.2b) Back-On-the-Line

Relief

• Relief Area:

ü One club-length,

ü In any direction

ü Any area of course

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief Options: General Area or Putting Green

19.2c) Lateral Relief

• Reference Point:

ü Spot of the original ball

• Relief Area:

ü Two club-lengths,

ü Not nearer hole than

reference point, and

ü Any area of course

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief Options: Bunker

• Same relief options in Rule

19.2, except:

ü If player takes back-on-

the-line or lateral relief,

the ball must be

dropped in and come to

rest in a relief area in

the bunker

2023 Rules of Golf – Penalty Relief

Relief Options: Bunker

• Extra relief option

ü For a total of TWO

penalty strokes, the

player may take back-

on-the-line relief

outside the bunker

2023 Rules of Golf – Free Relief

Questions

• Player May Decide to Take Unplayable Ball Relief

Anywhere Except Penalty Area (19.1)

• Relief Options for Unplayable Ball in General Area or

on Putting Green (19.2)

• Relief Options for Unplayable all in Bunker (19.3)