Purpose: Rule 16 covers when and how you may take free relief by playing a ball from a different place, such as when you have interference by an abnormal course condition or a dangerous animal condition.
This Rule also covers free relief when your ball is embedded in its own pitch mark in the general area.
This Rule covers free relief that is allowed from interference by animal holes, ground under repair, immovable obstructions or temporary water.
These are collectively called abnormal course conditions, but each has a separate Definition.
Interference exists when any one of these is true:
There is no free relief from an abnormal course condition when the abnormal course condition is out of bounds or your ball is in a penalty area.
No Relief When Clearly Unreasonable to Play Your Ball. There is no relief:
If your ball is in the general area and there is interference by an abnormal course condition on the course, you may take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball as shown in Diagram 16.1b.
Free relief is allowed when the ball is in the general area and there is interference by an abnormal course condition. The nearest point of complete relief should be identified and a ball must be dropped in and come to rest in the relief area.
Reference Point: The nearest point of complete relief.
Size of Relief Area: One club-length from the reference point.
Limits on Relief Area:
The relief area:
Player Notes: When taking relief, you must take complete relief from all interference by the abnormal course condition.
If your ball is in a bunker and there is interference by an abnormal course condition on the course, you may take either:
The diagram assumes a right-handed player. When there is interference from an abnormal course condition in a bunker, free relief may be taken in the bunker under Rule 16.1b.
Relief may be taken outside the bunker for one penalty stroke. Relief outside the bunker is based on a reference line going straight back from the hole through the spot of the original ball in the bunker.
Reference Point: A point on the course outside the bunker chosen by the player that is on the reference line and is farther from the hole than the original spot (with no limit on how far back on the line).
Size of Relief Area: One club-length from the reference point.
Limits on Relief Area: The relief area:
Player Notes: In choosing this reference point, you should indicate the point by using an object (such as a tee).
If your ball is on the putting green and there is interference by an abnormal course condition, you may take free relief by placing the original ball or another ball as shown in Diagram 16.1d.
The diagram assumes the player is left-handed. When a ball is on the putting green and there is interference by an abnormal course condition, free relief may be taken by placing a ball on the spot of the nearest point of complete relief.
Reference Point: The nearest point of complete relief.
Size of Relief Area: Ball must be placed on the spot of the nearest point of complete relief.
Limits on Relief Area: The nearest point of complete relief must be either:
Player Notes:
If your ball has not been found and it is known or virtually certain that your ball came to rest in or on an abnormal course condition on the course, you may take relief under Rule 16.1b, c or d. You do this by using the estimated point where the ball last crossed the edge of the abnormal course condition on the course as the reference point.
See Full Rules For more information on how to take relief if your ball is in or on an abnormal course condition but has not been found.
In each of these situations, your ball must not be played as it lies:
Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 16.1: General Penalty.
A "dangerous animal condition" exists when a dangerous animal (such as a poisonous snake or an alligator) near your ball could cause you serious physical injury if you had to play the ball as it lies.
See Full Rules For information on how to take relief from a dangerous animal condition.
Relief is allowed only when your ball is embedded in the general area. But if your ball is embedded on the putting green, you may mark the spot of your ball, lift and clean it, repair the damage, and replace your ball on its original spot.
Exceptions - When Relief Not Allowed for Ball Embedded in General Area:
Your ball is embedded only if it is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous stroke and part of your ball is below the level of the ground.
When your ball is embedded in the general area, you may take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball as shown in Diagram 16.3b.
When a ball is embedded in the general area, free relief may be taken. The reference point for taking relief is the spot right behind where the ball is embedded. A ball must be dropped in and come to rest in the relief area.
Reference Point: The spot right behind where the ball is embedded.
Size of Relief Area: One club-length from the reference point.
Limits on Relief Area: The relief area:
Penalty for Playing a Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 16.3: General Penalty.
If you reasonably believe that your ball lies in a condition where free relief is allowed under the Rules, but you cannot decide that without lifting your ball, you may mark the spot and lift the ball to see if relief is allowed. The lifted ball must not be cleaned (except when it is on the putting green).
See Full Rules For more information on lifting your ball to see if it lies in a condition where relief is allowed, including the penalty for lifting your ball without reasonable belief.
Any hole dug in the ground by an animal, except for holes dug by animals that are also defined as loose impediments (such as worms or insects).
The term animal hole includes:
Any part of the course the Committee defines to be ground under repair (whether by marking it or otherwise).
Ground under repair also includes the following things, even if the Committee does not define them as such:
The edge of ground under repair should be defined by stakes or lines:
Any obstruction that cannot be moved without unreasonable effort or without damaging the obstruction or the course, and otherwise does not meet the definition of a movable obstruction.
Any temporary accumulation of water on the surface of the ground (such as puddles from rain or irrigation or an overflow from a body of water) that is not in a penalty area, and can be seen before or after you take a stance (without pressing down excessively with your feet).
It is not enough for the ground to be merely wet, muddy or soft or for the water to be momentarily visible as you step on the ground; an accumulation of water must remain present either before or after your stance is taken.
Special cases:
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
The area on the hole you are playing that is specially prepared for putting, or the Committee has defined as the putting green (such as when a temporary green is used).
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
The area on the hole you are playing that is specially prepared for putting, or the Committee has defined as the putting green (such as when a temporary green is used).
The line where you intend your ball to go after a stroke, including the area on your line that is a reasonable distance up above the ground and on either side of your line.
The line of play is not necessarily a straight line between two points (for example, it may be a curved line based on where you intend the ball to go).
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if your ball comes to rest there.
There are two different types of penalty areas, distinguished by the colour used to mark them:
If the colour of a penalty area has not been marked or indicated by the Committee, it is treated as a red penalty area.
The edge of a penalty area extends both up above the ground and down below the ground.
The edge of a penalty area should be defined by stakes or lines.
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
Any obstruction that cannot be moved without unreasonable effort or without damaging the obstruction or the course, and otherwise does not meet the definition of a movable obstruction.
The area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area you must play from in starting the hole you are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole you are playing.
The general area includes all teeing locations on the course other than the teeing area, and all wrong greens.
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee. The boundary edge extends both up above the ground and down below the ground.
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. Each relief Rule identifies a specific relief area where your ball must be dropped and come to rest.
In taking relief, you must let go of the ball from a location at knee height so that the ball:
A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. These are not part of a bunker:
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee. The boundary edge extends both up above the ground and down below the ground.
Your 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.
It is the estimated point where your ball would lie that is:
Estimating this reference point requires you to identify the choice of club, stance, swing and line of play you would have used for that stroke.
The area where you must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires you to use a specific relief area whose size and location are based on these three factors:
A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. These are not part of a bunker:
Your 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.
It is the estimated point where your ball would lie that is:
Estimating this reference point requires you to identify the choice of club, stance, swing and line of play you would have used for that stroke.
A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. These are not part of a bunker:
Your reference point for taking free relief from an abnormal course condition in a bunker (Rule 16.1c) or on the putting green (Rule 16.1d) when there is no nearest point of complete relief.
It is the estimated point where your ball would lie that is:
Estimating this reference point requires you to identify the choice of club, stance, swing and line of play you would have used for that stroke.
A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. These are not part of a bunker:
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. Each relief Rule identifies a specific relief area where your ball must be dropped and come to rest.
In taking relief, you must let go of the ball from a location at knee height so that the ball:
The area on the hole you are playing that is specially prepared for putting, or the Committee has defined as the putting green (such as when a temporary green is used).
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
The standard for deciding what happened to your ball - for example, whether your ball came to rest in a penalty area, whether it moved or what caused it to move.
Known or virtually certain means more than just possible or probable. It means that either:
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee. The boundary edge extends both up above the ground and down below the ground.
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee. The boundary edge extends both up above the ground and down below the ground.
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.
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
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.
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.
An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.
An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if your ball comes to rest there.
There are two different types of penalty areas, distinguished by the colour used to mark them:
If the colour of a penalty area has not been marked or indicated by the Committee, it is treated as a red penalty area.
The edge of a penalty area extends both up above the ground and down below the ground.
The edge of a penalty area should be defined by stakes or lines.
An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if your ball comes to rest there.
There are two different types of penalty areas, distinguished by the colour used to mark them:
If the colour of a penalty area has not been marked or indicated by the Committee, it is treated as a red penalty area.
The edge of a penalty area extends both up above the ground and down below the ground.
The edge of a penalty area should be defined by stakes or lines.
Any place on the course other than where you are required or allowed to play your ball under the Rules.
When your ball is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground. Your ball does not necessarily have to touch soil to be embedded (for example, grass and loose impediments may be between your ball and the soil).
The area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area you must play from in starting the hole you are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole you are playing.
The general area includes all teeing locations on the course other than the teeing area, and all wrong greens.
When your ball is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground. Your ball does not necessarily have to touch soil to be embedded (for example, grass and loose impediments may be between your ball and the soil).
The area on the hole you are playing that is specially prepared for putting, or the Committee has defined as the putting green (such as when a temporary green is used).
To show the spot where a ball is at rest by either placing a ball-marker right behind or right next to the ball, or holding a club on the ground right behind or right next to the ball.
When your ball is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground. Your ball does not necessarily have to touch soil to be embedded (for example, grass and loose impediments may be between your ball and the soil).
The area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area you must play from in starting the hole you are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole you are playing.
The general area includes all teeing locations on the course other than the teeing area, and all wrong greens.
When your ball is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground. Your ball does not necessarily have to touch soil to be embedded (for example, grass and loose impediments may be between your ball and the soil).
When your ball is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground. Your ball does not necessarily have to touch soil to be embedded (for example, grass and loose impediments may be between your ball and the soil).
When your ball is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground. Your ball does not necessarily have to touch soil to be embedded (for example, grass and loose impediments may be between your ball and the soil).
The area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area you must play from in starting the hole you are playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole you are playing.
The general area includes all teeing locations on the course other than the teeing area, and all wrong greens.
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. Each relief Rule identifies a specific relief area where your ball must be dropped and come to rest.
In taking relief, you must let go of the ball from a location at knee height so that the ball:
Any place on the course other than where you are required or allowed to play your ball under the Rules.
To show the spot where a ball is at rest by either placing a ball-marker right behind or right next to the ball, or holding a club on the ground right behind or right next to the ball.
The area on the hole you are playing that is specially prepared for putting, or the Committee has defined as the putting green (such as when a temporary green is used).