19.1 Player May Decide to Take Unplayable Ball Relief Anywhere Except Penalty Area

A player is the only person who may decide to treat his or her ball as unplayable by taking penalty relief under Rule 19.2 or 19.3.

Unplayable ball relief is allowed anywhere on the courseCourse: The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee:, except in a penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there..
If a ball is unplayable in a penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there., the player’s only relief option is to take penalty relief under Rule 17.

19.2 Relief Options for Unplayable Ball in General Area or on Putting Green

A player may take unplayable ball relief using one of the three options in Rule 19.2a, b or c, in each case adding one penalty stroke.

The player may take stroke-and-distanceStroke 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). relief under Rule 19.2a even if the original ball has not been found and identified.
But to take back-on-the-line relief under Rule 19.2b or lateral relief under Rule 19.2c, the player must know the spot of the original ball.

a. Stroke-and-Distance Relief

The player may play the original ball or another ball from where the previous strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball. was made (see Rule 14.6).

b. Back-On-the-Line Relief

The player may dropDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play. the original ball or another ball (see Rule 14.3) in a relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors: that is based on a reference line going straight back from the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: through the spot of the original ball:

Reference Point: A point on the courseCourse: The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee: chosen by the player that is on the reference line and is farther from the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: than the spot of the original ball (with no limit on how far back on the line):
- In choosing this point, the player should indicate the point by using an object (such as a teeTee: An object used to raise a ball above the ground to play it from the teeing area. It must be no longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm) and conform with the Equipment Rules.).
- If the player dropsDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play. the ball without having chosen this point, the reference point is treated as being the point on the line that is the same distance from the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: as where the droppedDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play. ball first touched the ground.
Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: One club-lengthClub-Length: The length of the longest club of the 14 (or fewer) clubs the player has during the round (as allowed by Rule 4.1b(1)), other than a putter., but with these limits:
Limits on Location of Relief Area:
- Must not be nearer the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: than the reference point, and
- May be in any area of the courseAreas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course:, but
- If more than one area of the courseAreas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course: is located within one club-lengthClub-Length: The length of the longest club of the 14 (or fewer) clubs the player has during the round (as allowed by Rule 4.1b(1)), other than a putter. of the reference point, the ball must come to rest in the relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors: in the same area of the courseAreas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course: that the ball first touched when droppedDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play. in the relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:.

c. Lateral Relief

The player may dropDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play. the original ball or another ball in this lateral relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors: (see Rule 14.3):

Reference Point: The spot of the original ball.
Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point: Two club-lengthsClub-Length: The length of the longest club of the 14 (or fewer) clubs the player has during the round (as allowed by Rule 4.1b(1)), other than a putter., but with these limits:
Limits on Location of Relief Area:
- Must not be nearer the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played: than the reference point, and
- May be in any area of the courseAreas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course:, but
- If more than one area of the courseAreas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course: is located within two club-lengthsClub-Length: The length of the longest club of the 14 (or fewer) clubs the player has during the round (as allowed by Rule 4.1b(1)), other than a putter. of the reference point, the ball must come to rest in the relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors: in the same area of the courseAreas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course: that the ball first touched when droppedDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play. in the relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong PlaceWrong Place: Any place on the course other than where the player is required or allowed to play his or her ball under the Rules. in Breach of Rule 19.2: General PenaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. Under Rule 14.7a.

19.3 Relief Options for Unplayable Ball in Bunker

a. Normal Relief Options (One Penalty Stroke)

When a player’s ball is in a bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed.:

The player may take unplayable ball relief for one penalty stroke under any of the options in Rule 19.2, except that:
The ball must be droppedDrop: To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play. in and come to rest in a relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors: in the bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. if the player takes either back-on-the-line relief (see Rule 19.2b) or lateral relief (see Rule 19.2c).

b. Extra Relief Option (Two Penalty Strokes)

As an extra relief option when a player’s ball is in a bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed., for a total of two penalty strokes, the player may take back-on-the-line relief outside the bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. under Rule 19.2b.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong PlaceWrong Place: Any place on the course other than where the player is required or allowed to play his or her ball under the Rules. in Breach of Rule 19.3: General PenaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. Under Rule 14.7a.

Rule 19 - Unplayable Ball