Rule 17 - Penalty Areas

(1) 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.(...Continued) was made (see Rule 14.6).

(2) 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.(...Continued) the original ball or another ball (see Rule 14.3) outside the penalty area, keeping 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)  between the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued) and the spot where the ball is 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) (with no limit as to how far back the ball may 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.(...Continued)). The spot on the line where the ball first touches the ground when dropped creates a 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) that is 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) in any direction from that point, 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 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).

(3) Lateral Relief (Only for Red Penalty Area). When the ball last crossed the edge of 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), 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.(...Continued) 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. 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) (see Rule 14.3):

• 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).

See Rule 25.4m (for players who use a wheeled mobility device, Rule 17.1d(3) is modified to expand the lateral 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) to four 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)).

See Committee Procedures, Section 8; Model Local Rule B-2  (the CommitteeCommittee: The person or group in charge of the competition or the course. may adopt a Local Rule allowing lateral relief on the opposite side of 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) at an equal distance from the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued)).

(1) When Ball Is in No Play Zone in Penalty Area. The player must take penalty relief under Rule 17.1d or 17.2.

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).

(2) When No Play Zone on Course Interferes with Stance or Swing for Ball in Penalty Area. 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), and is outside 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) but 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) (whether in an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: Any of these four defined conditions: or 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)) interferes with their area of intended stanceStance: The position of a player’s feet and body in preparing for and making a stroke.(...Continued) or area of intended swing, the player must either:

• 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.

(3) No Relief When Clearly Unreasonable. There is no free relief from interference by the no play zone under (2):

• 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.

(1) Normal Relief Options. 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).(...Continued) relief under Rule 17.1d(1), back-on-the-line relief under Rule 17.1d(2) or, 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), lateral relief under Rule 17.1d(3).

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).

(2) Extra Relief Option: Playing from Where Last Stroke Made Outside a Penalty Area. Instead of using one of the normal relief options under (1), the player may choose to play the original ball or another ball from where they made the last strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) from outside 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 14.6).