Purpose of Rule: Rule 17 is a specific Rule for penalty areas, which are bodies of water or other areas defined by the Committee where a ball is often lost or unable to be played. For one penalty stroke, players may use specific relief options to play a ball from outside the penalty area.
Penalty areasPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) are defined as either red or yellow. This affects the player’s relief options (see Rule 17.1d).
A player may stand 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.(...Continued) to play a ball outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued), including after taking relief from the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued).
A ball is 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.(...Continued) when any part of the ball:
Lies on or touches the ground or anything else (such as any natural or artificial object) inside the edge of the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued), or
Is above the edge or any other part of the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued).
If part of the ball is both 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.(...Continued) and in another area of the courseAreas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course:, see Rule 2.2c.
The player may either:
Play the ball as it lies without penalty, under the same Rules that apply to a ball in the general areaGeneral Area: The area of the course that covers all of the courseexcept for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.(...Continued) (which means there are no special Rules limiting how a ball may be played from 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.(...Continued)), or
Play a ball from outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) by taking penalty relief under Rule 17.1d or 17.2.
Exception – Relief Must Be Taken from Interference by No Play Zone in Penalty Area (see Rule 17.1e).
If a player’s ball has not been found and it is known or virtually certainKnown or Virtually Certain: The standard for deciding what happened to a player’s ball – for example, whether the ball came to rest in a penalty area, whether it moved or what caused it to move.(...Continued) that the ball came to rest 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.(...Continued):
The player may take penalty relief under Rule 17.1d or 17.2.
Once the player puts another ball in playIn Play: The status of a player’s ball when it lies on the course and is being used in the play of a hole:(...Continued) to take relief in this way:
The original ball is no longer in playIn Play: The status of a player’s ball when it lies on the course and is being used in the play of a hole:(...Continued) and must not be played.
This is true even if it is then found on the courseCourse: The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee:(...Continued) before the end of the three-minute search time (see Rule 6.3b).
But if it is not known or virtually certainKnown or Virtually Certain: The standard for deciding what happened to a player’s ball – for example, whether the ball came to rest in a penalty area, whether it moved or what caused it to move.(...Continued) that the ball came to rest 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.(...Continued) and the ball is lostLost: The status of a ball that is not found in three minutes after the player or their caddie (or the player’s partner or partner’scaddie) begins to search for it. A ball does not become lost as a result of the player declaring it to be lost.(...Continued), the player must 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).(...Continued) relief under Rule 18.2.
If a player’s ball is 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.(...Continued), including when it is known or virtually certainKnown or Virtually Certain: The standard for deciding what happened to a player’s ball – for example, whether the ball came to rest in a penalty area, whether it moved or what caused it to move.(...Continued) to be 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.(...Continued) even though not found, the player has these relief options, each for one penalty stroke:
Limits on Location of Relief Area:
Must not be nearer the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued) than the estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued), and
May be in any area of the courseAreas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course: except the same penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued), but
Must be 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.(...Continued).
Reference Point: The estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the red penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued).
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.(...Continued), 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:(...Continued) than the reference point, and
May be in any area of the course except the same penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued), 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.(...Continued) 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. With the exception of back-on-the-line relief (see Rules 16.1c(2), 17.1d(2), 19.2b and 19.3), each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:(...Continued) 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.(...Continued) in the relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. With the exception of back-on-the-line relief (see Rules 16.1c(2), 17.1d(2), 19.2b and 19.3), each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:(...Continued).
In each of these situations, the player must not play the ball as it lies:
If the player has interference from a no play zoneNo 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.(...Continued) after taking relief under this Rule, the ball must not be played as it lies. Instead, the player must take further relief under Rule 16.1f(2).
Take penalty relief outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) under Rule 17.1d or 17.2, or
Take free relief by droppingDrop: 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.(...Continued) the original ball or another ball in this relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. With the exception of back-on-the-line relief (see Rules 16.1c(2), 17.1d(2), 19.2b and 19.3), each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:(...Continued) (if it exists) in the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) (see Rule 14.3):
Reference Point: The nearest point of complete reliefNearest Point of Complete Relief: The reference point for taking free relief from an abnormal course condition (Rule 16.1), dangerous animal condition (Rule 16.2), wrong green (Rule 13.1f) or no play zone (Rules 16.1f and 17.1e), or in taking relief under certain Local Rules.(...Continued) from the no play zoneNo 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.(...Continued).
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.(...Continued), but with these limits:
Limits on Location of Relief Area:
Must be in the same penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) where the ball lies, and
Must not be nearer the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued) than the reference point.
When playing the ball as it lies would be clearly unreasonable because of something other than the no play zoneNo 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.(...Continued) (for example, when a player is unable to make a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) because of where the ball lies in a bush), or
When interference exists only because the player chooses a club, type of stanceStance: The position of a player’s feet and body in preparing for and making a stroke.(...Continued) or swing, or direction of play that is clearly unreasonable under the circumstances.
For what to do when there is interference by a no play zoneNo 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.(...Continued) for a ball anywhere 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.(...Continued), see Rule 16.1f.
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 their ball under the Rules.(...Continued) in Breach of Rule 17.1: General PenaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. Under Rule 14.7a.
If a ball played from 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.(...Continued) comes to rest in the same penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) or another penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued), the player may play the ball as it lies (see Rule 17.1b).
Or, for one penalty stroke, the player may take relief under any of these options:
Under Rule 17.1d(2) or (3), the estimated point used to determine the relief areaRelief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. With the exception of back-on-the-line relief (see Rules 16.1c(2), 17.1d(2), 19.2b and 19.3), each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:(...Continued) is where the original ball last crossed the edge of the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) where the ball now lies.
If the player takes 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).(...Continued) relief by droppingDrop: 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.(...Continued) a ball in the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) (see Rule 14.6) and then decides not to play 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.(...Continued) ball from where it comes to rest:
The player may take further relief outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) under Rule 17.1d(2) or (3) (for a red penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued)) or under Rule 17.2a(2).
If the player does so, they get one more penalty stroke, for a total of two penalty strokes: one stroke for taking 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).(...Continued) relief, and one stroke for taking relief outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued).
After playing a ball from 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.(...Continued), a player may sometimes be required or choose to 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).(...Continued) relief because the original ball is either:
Out of boundsOut of Bounds: All areas outside the boundary edge of the course as defined by the Committee. All areas inside that edge are in bounds.(...Continued) or lostLost: The status of a ball that is not found in three minutes after the player or their caddie (or the player’s partner or partner’scaddie) begins to search for it. A ball does not become lost as a result of the player declaring it to be lost.(...Continued) outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) (see Rule 18.2), or
Unplayable outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) (see Rule 19.2a).
If the player takes 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).(...Continued) relief by droppingDrop: 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.(...Continued) a ball in the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) (see Rule 14.6) and then decides not to play 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.(...Continued) ball from where it comes to rest:
The player may take further relief outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) under Rule 17.1d(2) or (3) (for a red penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued)) or under Rule 17.2a(2).
If the player does so, they get one more penalty stroke, for a total of two penalty strokes: one stroke for taking 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).(...Continued) relief, and one stroke for taking relief outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued).
The player may directly take such relief outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) without first droppingDrop: 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.(...Continued) a ball in the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued), but still gets a total of two penalty strokes.
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 their ball under the Rules.(...Continued) in Breach of Rule 17.2: General PenaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play. Under Rule 14.7a.
When a player’s ball is 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.(...Continued), there is no relief for:
Interference by an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: Any of these four defined conditions: (Rule 16.1),
An embeddedEmbedded: When a player’s ball is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of the player’s previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground.(...Continued) ball (Rule 16.3), or
An unplayable ball (Rule 19).
The player’s only relief option is to take penalty relief under Rule 17.
But when a dangerous animalAnimal: Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans), including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (such as worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans). condition interferes with the play of a ball 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.(...Continued), the player may take either free relief in the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) or penalty relief outside the penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there.(...Continued) (see Rule 16.2b(2)).