Rule 16 - Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions), Dangerous Animal Condition, Embedded Ball

a. When Relief Is Allowed

Interference exists when any one of these is true:

• Your ball touches or is in or on an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water.,

• An abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water. physically interferes with your area of intended stanceStance: The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke. or area of intended swing, or

• Only when your ball is on the putting greenPutting Green: 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 abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water. on or off the putting greenPutting Green: 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). intervenes on your line of playLine of Play: 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.(...Continued).

There is no free relief from an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water. when the abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water. is out of boundsOut of Bounds: All areas outside the boundary edge of the course as defined by the Committee. All areas inside that edge are in bounds.(...Continued) or your ball is in a penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if your ball comes to rest there.(...Continued).

No Relief When Clearly Unreasonable to Play Your Ball. There is no relief:

• When playing your ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something other than an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water. (such as, when you are standing on an immovable obstructionImmovable Obstruction: 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. but you are unable to make a strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. because of where your ball lies in a bush), or

• When interference exists only because you choose a club, type of stanceStance: The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke. or swing or direction of play that is clearly unreasonable under the circumstances.

b. Relief for Ball in General Area

If your ball is in 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 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.(...Continued) and there is interference by an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water. on the courseCourse: 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., you may 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. Each relief Rule identifies a specific relief area where your ball must be dropped and come to rest.(...Continued) the original ball or another ball as shown in Diagram 16.1b.

c. Relief for Your Ball in Bunker

If your ball is in a bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed. These are not part of a bunker: and there is interference by an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water. on the courseCourse: 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., you may take either:

• Free Relief: Under Rule 16.1b, except that:

  • The nearest point of complete reliefNearest Point of Complete Relief: 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.(...Continued) and the relief areaRelief Area: 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: must be in the bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed. These are not part of a bunker:.

  • If there is no such nearest point of complete reliefNearest Point of Complete Relief: 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.(...Continued) in the bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed. These are not part of a bunker:, you may still take this relief, by using the point of maximum available reliefPoint of Maximum Available Relief: 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.(...Continued) in the bunkerBunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed. These are not part of a bunker: as the reference point.

• Penalty Relief by Playing from Outside Bunker (Back-On-the-Line Relief): For one penalty stroke, you 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. Each relief Rule identifies a specific relief area where your ball must be dropped and come to rest.(...Continued) a ball as shown in Diagram 16.1c.

d. Relief for Ball on Putting Green

If your ball is on the putting greenPutting Green: 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). and there is interference by an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water., you may take free relief by placing the original ball or another ball as shown in Diagram 16.1d.

e. Relief for Your Ball Not Found but in or on Abnormal Course Condition

If your ball has not been found and it is known or virtually certainKnown or Virtually Certain: 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.(...Continued) that your ball came to rest in or on an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water. on the courseCourse: 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., 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 conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water. on the courseCourse: 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. as the reference point.

 For more information on how to take relief if your ball is in or on an abnormal course condition but has not been found.

f. Relief Must Be Taken from Interference by No Play Zone in Abnormal Course Condition

In each of these situations, your ball must not be played as it lies:

• If your ball is in 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. that is in an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water., you must take relief under Rule 16.1b, c or d.

• If your ball 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. and 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. (whether in an abnormal course conditionAbnormal Course Condition: An animal hole, ground under repair, an immovable obstruction, or temporary water. or in a penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if your ball comes to rest there.(...Continued)) interferes with your area of intended stanceStance: The position of your feet and body in preparing for and making your stroke. or area of intended swing. You must either take relief under Rule 16.1 or, unless your ball is in a penalty areaPenalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if your ball comes to rest there.(...Continued), take unplayable ball relief under Rule 19.

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong PlaceWrong Place: Any place on the course other than where you are required or allowed to play your ball under the Rules. in Breach of Rule 16.1: General PenaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play..

a. When Relief Is Allowed

Relief is allowed only when your ball is embeddedEmbedded: 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). in 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 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.(...Continued). But if your ball is embeddedEmbedded: 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). on the putting greenPutting Green: 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)., you may markMark: 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 spot of your ball, lift and clean it, repair the damage, and replaceReplace: To place a ball by setting it down and letting it go, with the intent for it to be in play. your ball on its original spot.

Exceptions – When Relief Not Allowed for Ball Embedded in General Area:

• When your ball is embeddedEmbedded: 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). in sand in a part of 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 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.(...Continued) that is not cut to fairway height or less, or

• When interference by anything other than your ball being embeddedEmbedded: 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). makes your strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. clearly unreasonable (for example, when you are unable to make a strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. because of where your ball lies in a bush).

Your ball is embeddedEmbedded: 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). only if it is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous strokeStroke: The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball. and part of your ball is below the level of the ground.

b. Relief for Embedded Ball

When your ball is embeddedEmbedded: 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). in 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 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.(...Continued), you may 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. Each relief Rule identifies a specific relief area where your ball must be dropped and come to rest.(...Continued) the original ball or another ball as shown in Diagram 16.3b.

Penalty for Playing a Ball from a Wrong PlaceWrong Place: Any place on the course other than where you are required or allowed to play your ball under the Rules. in Breach of Rule 16.3: General PenaltyGeneral Penalty: Loss of hole in match play or two penalty strokes in stroke play..