A ball is out of bounds only when all of it is outside the boundary edge. White stakes or lines commonly define the boundary, but the local rules and course markings are decisive. The normal relief is stroke and distance: add one penalty stroke and play again from where the previous stroke was made.
Out of bounds is different from a penalty area. Boundary objects are fixed and are not movable obstructions.
How is the boundary measured?
Where stakes define the boundary, the edge is normally the line between the course-side points of the stakes at ground level. A ball touching the course is still in bounds; all of it must be over the edge to be out.
Always check whether a wall, fence or line is defined differently by local rules.
What do you do next?
Under the standard rule, take one penalty stroke and play a ball from the place of the previous stroke. This is called stroke-and-distance relief.
If the ball might be out, save time by following the provisional-ball procedure.
Can a local rule offer another option?
Some courses use the model local rule that allows relief in the fairway area for two penalty strokes. It is not automatically available and is often unsuitable for higher-level competitions. Use it only when the committee has adopted it.
The essential point
Check the defined boundary carefully. If the whole ball is out, the normal result is stroke and distance unless a specific local rule provides another option.
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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