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Lost ball - Ball known or virtually certain to be in a penalty area
If your ball has not been found and it is known or virtually certain that it came to rest in a penalty area you may take penalty relief under Rule 17.1d.
You have the relief options shown in Diagram #1 17.1d (relief for yellow penalty area) and Diagram #2 17.1d (relief for red penalty area), each for one penalty stroke.
But if it is not known or virtually certain that your ball came to rest in a penalty area and the ball is lost, you must take stroke-and-distance relief.
DIAGRAM #1 17.1d: RELIEF FOR BALL IN YELLOW PENALTY AREA
When it is known or virtually certain that a ball is in a yellow penalty area and the player wishes to take relief, the player has two options, each for one penalty stroke. The player may:
- Take stroke-and-distance relief by playing a ball from a relief area based on where the previous stroke was made.
- Take back-on-the-line relief by dropping a ball outside the penalty area, keeping point X between the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped.
DIAGRAM #2 17.1d: RELIEF FOR BALL IN RED PENALTY AREA
When it is known or virtually certain that a ball is in a red penalty area and the player wishes to take relief, the player has three options, each for one penalty stroke. The player may:
- Take stroke-and-distance relief by playing a ball from a relief area based on where the previous stroke was made.
- Take back-on-the-line relief by dropping a ball outside the penalty area, keeping point X between the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped.
- Take lateral relief (red penalty area only). The reference point for taking relief is point X, and a ball must be dropped in and played from the two club-length relief area, which is no nearer the hole than point X.