When taking unplayable ball relief, a player must accept the outcome even if it is unfavourable, such as when a 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 comes to rest in its original location or in a bad lie in another location 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):
Once 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 comes 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), the player has a new situation.
If the player decides that they cannot (or do not wish to) play the ball as it now lies, the player may again take unplayable ball relief, for an additional penalty, using any available relief option under Rule 19.
A player may take 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 into 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) in any area of the courseAreas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course: under the unplayable ball relief options. This includes taking relief from 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) and 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) directly into a bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed.(...Continued) or 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), onto a putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued), into 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) or onto a wrong greenWrong Green: Any green on the course other than the putting green for the hole the player is playing. Wrong greens include:(...Continued).
However, if the player chooses to 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) into 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) or onto a wrong greenWrong Green: Any green on the course other than the putting green for the hole the player is playing. Wrong greens include:(...Continued), the player must then continue to take the relief required by the Rules from that 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) or wrong greenWrong Green: Any green on the course other than the putting green for the hole the player is playing. Wrong greens include:(...Continued).
Similarly, if the player chooses to 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) 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 they cannot (or do not wish to) play the ball from where it now lies, the only option is to take further relief under penalty of 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) by playing from where the previous strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) was made because:
Unplayable ball relief may not be taken again as such relief is not allowed when a ball lies 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).
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) using the back-on-the-line relief option or the lateral relief option may also not be taken, because the ball did not cross 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) before coming to rest and therefore there is no reference point and no way of estimating a reference point for taking such relief.
In 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, the player will get another one-stroke penalty (in addition to the first penalty stroke for taking unplayable ball relief).
The reference point used for taking relief under 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) does not change until the player makes another strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) at their 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), even if the player has 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) a ball under a Rule.
For example, a player takes relief for an unplayable ball and 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.(...Continued) a ball under either the back-on-the-line relief option or lateral relief option. 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 stays within 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) but rolls into a place that the player again decides is unplayable.
For one additional penalty stroke the player may again use the back-on-the-line relief option or lateral relief option, or may choose the 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 option using the point where the ball was last played before becoming unplayable the first time as the reference point. This 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) reference point does not change because the player did not make a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) at 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.
The outcome would be different if the player made a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) at 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, because that spot would become the new 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) reference point.
If a player lifts their ball to take unplayable ball relief and then discovers it was in ground under repairGround Under Repair: Any part of the course the Committee defines to be ground under repair (whether by marking it or otherwise). Any defined ground under repair includes both:(...Continued) or another abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: Any of these four defined conditions:, the player may still take free relief under Rule 16.1 so long as they have not yet put a 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) under Rule 19 to take unplayable ball relief.
The back-on-the-line and lateral relief options under Rule 19.2 and 19.3 may not be used without finding the original ball as both require that ball’s original spot as the reference point for relief. If either relief option is used to take unplayable ball relief with reference to a ball that is not the player’s ball, the player is treated as 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 as that is the only Rule that can be used if the player has not found their original ball.
For example, a player finds a stray ball in a bad lie. Mistaking it for their ball, the player decides to take lateral relief (Rule 19.2c), substitutesSubstitute: To change the ball the player is using to play a hole by having another ball become the ball in play.(...Continued) a ball and plays it. While walking to play the next strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued), the player finds their ball. Since the player did not know the spot of the original ball at the time the other ball was substitutedSubstitute: To change the ball the player is using to play a hole by having another ball become the ball in play.(...Continued), they are treated as having taken 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 did so in 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) (Rule 14.7).
In match playMatch Play: A form of play where a player or side plays directly against an opponent or opposing side in a head-to-head match of one or more rounds:(...Continued), the player loses the hole for playing 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 stroke playStroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition.(...Continued), the player gets one penalty 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 (Rule 18.1) and another two penalty strokes for doing so 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). If the 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) was a serious breachSerious Breach: In stroke play, when playing from a wrong place could give the player a significant advantage compared to the stroke to be made from the right place.(...Continued), the mistake must be corrected before making a strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) to start another hole, or for the final hole of the roundRound: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee., before returning their scorecardScorecard: The document where a player’s score for each hole is entered in stroke play.(...Continued).
If a ball comes to rest farther from the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued) than the spot from which it was played, 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 may still be taken.
Examples where 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 may be nearer the holeHole: The finishing point on the putting green for the hole being played:(...Continued) include when:
A player’s strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) from the teeing areaTeeing Area: The area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing.(...Continued) hits a tree, bounces backwards and comes to rest behind the teeing areaTeeing Area: The area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing.(...Continued). The player may play again from the teeing areaTeeing Area: The area the player must play from in starting the hole they are playing.(...Continued) under penalty of one stroke.
A player has a downhill putt and they putt off the putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued) and the ball rolls off the greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued) into a bad lie or into 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 play again from the putting greenPutting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that:(...Continued) under penalty of one stroke.
The option 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 for an unplayable ball applies only to where the last strokeStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) was made; a player is not allowed to go back to the spot of any earlier strokesStroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.(...Continued) made before that.
If the 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 option or the back-on-the-line option are not favourable, the only option is to take lateral relief multiple times, taking a penalty each time, until the player can get a ball into a playable location.