Rule 16: Taking relief from abnormal course conditions and embedded ball
What this is about
This rule helps you out with unexpected problems. Think of a ball in a puddle or near a permanent structure. In many cases you're allowed to look for a better spot to play from, without penalty.
What you need to do
- Is your ball affected by an unusual situation? For example a puddle of water or a network of animal holes. This also applies to a dangerous animal or an embedded ball.
- In that case you may look for another spot without penalty.
- Find the nearest point of complete relief. This is called your reference point.
- From this point you drop the ball.
- The area where the ball must land is one club-length wide.
- This new spot must not be closer to the hole.
- If your ball lies in a penalty area, this rule does not apply. Different rules apply there instead.
Common mistake
Many beginners think they can always take relief. But you can't do this simply because you'd rather avoid a difficult stroke, or because it's an unrealistic stroke. You only get help with genuine, unexpected conditions.
Example
You hit your ball and it lands in a large puddle. This was caused by heavy rain and isn't an official penalty area. You look for the nearest point without water. From there you drop a new ball within one club-length. You do this without penalty.
Practise this rule with real exam questions in the free app.
16.1 Abnormal course conditions (including immovable obstructions)
16.1a When you're allowed to take relief
Free relief is allowed when an abnormal course condition interferes with your play. Interference exists when:
- Your ball touches or lies in/on the abnormal condition
- The condition physically interferes with your stance or the area of your intended swing
- On the putting green: the condition is on your line of play
You're not allowed to take relief if playing the ball would clearly be unreasonable due to something other than the abnormal condition (for example, if your ball lies in a bush and a sprinkler head also happens to be in the way).
16.1b Relief for a ball in the general area
The reference point is the nearest point of complete relief, not nearer to the hole. The ball is dropped within one club-length of this reference point, in the general area.
16.1c Relief for a ball in a bunker
You may take free relief within the bunker, or take relief outside the bunker for one penalty stroke. When taking relief within the bunker, the reference point is the nearest point of complete relief within the bunker.
16.1d Relief for a ball on the putting green
The ball is placed at the nearest point of complete relief, on the putting green or in the general area.
16.1e Relief when ball not found but in abnormal course conditions
If it's reasonably certain that the ball came to rest in an abnormal course condition but can't be found, you may take relief. The reference point is the estimated spot where the ball last crossed the edge of the condition.
16.1f No relief if playing the ball is clearly unreasonable
You have no right to relief if playing the ball is clearly unreasonable for a reason other than the abnormal course condition.
16.2 Dangerous animals
When a dangerous animal (such as snakes, bees, or crocodiles) could threaten the player, the player may always take free relief, no matter where the ball lies on the course. The relief procedure is similar to the one used for abnormal course conditions.
16.3 Embedded ball
If a player's ball is embedded in its own pitch-mark in the general area (the ball is partly below the level of the ground), the player may take free relief. The reference point is the spot right behind where the ball was embedded. The ball is dropped within one club-length of this reference point. This rule doesn't apply in bunkers or in a penalty area.