You may treat your ball as unplayable anywhere except in a penalty area. For one penalty stroke, choose stroke and distance, back-on-the-line relief or lateral relief within two club-lengths. In a bunker, the normal back-on-the-line and lateral options must keep the ball in the bunker.
You do not need anyone else’s permission and the ball does not have to be physically impossible to play. The decision belongs to the player.
The three standard options
- Stroke and distance: play again from the previous place.
- Back on the line: keep the original ball position between the hole and the chosen reference point.
- Lateral relief: drop within two club-lengths of the original ball position, no nearer the hole.
When must the ball be found?
You need to know the ball’s position for back-on-the-line or lateral relief. If it cannot be found within three minutes, it is lost and stroke and distance applies instead. You may use stroke and distance even without finding it.
Special point for bunkers
For one penalty stroke, back-on-the-line and lateral relief must remain in the bunker. An additional option allows back-on-the-line relief outside the bunker for a total of two penalty strokes.
The essential point
Choose the option that creates the safest and most practical next shot, add the correct penalty and use the original ball position as the reference where required.
Sources
The following official or specialist sources were used to verify this independently written guide.
- The R&A – official guidance Source used to verify the rules or factual information in this guide.
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