Golf putting standing water penalty

Purpose of Rule: Rule 17 is a specific Rule for penalty areas, which are bodies of water or other areas defined by the Committee where a ball is often lost or unable to be played. For one penalty stroke, players may use specific relief options to play a ball from outside the penalty area.

Options for Ball in Penalty Area

Penalty areas are defined as either red or yellow. This affects the player’s relief options (see Rule 17.1d ). A player may stand in a penalty area to play a ball outside the penalty area , including after taking relief from the penalty area .

When Ball Is in Penalty Area

• Lies on or touches the ground or anything else (such as any natural or artificial object) inside the edge of the penalty area , or
• Is above the edge or any other part of the penalty area .

Player May Play Ball as It Lies in Penalty Area or Take Penalty Relief

• Play the ball as it lies without penalty, under the same Rules that apply to a ball in the general area (which means there are no specific Rules limiting how a ball may be played from a penalty area ), or
• Play a ball from outside the penalty area by taking penalty relief under Rule 17.1d or 17.2 .

Relief for Ball Not Found but in Penalty Area

• The player may take penalty relief under Rule 17.1d or 17.2 .
• Once the player puts another ball in play to take relief in this way:
  • The original ball is no longer in play and must not be played.
  • This is true even if it is then found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time (see Rule 6.3b ).

  Relief for Ball in Penalty Area

  • Limits on Location of Relief Area :
    • Must not be nearer the hole than the estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area , and
    • May be in any area of the course except the same penalty area , but
    • Must be in the same area of the course that the ball first touched when dropped .
    DIAGRAM #1 17.1d: RELIEF FOR BALL IN YELLOW PENALTY AREA

    

    1. Take stroke-and-distance relief by playing a ball from a relief area based on where the previous stroke was made.
    2. 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

    

    1. Take stroke-and-distance relief by playing a ball from a relief area based on where the previous stroke was made.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    • Reference Point : The estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the red penalty area .
    • Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point : Two club-lengths , but with these limits:
    • Limits on Location of Relief Area :
      • Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point, and
      • May be in any area of the course except the same penalty area , but
      • If more than one area of the course is located within two club-lengths of the reference point, the ball must come to rest in the relief area in the same area of the course that the ball first touched when dropped in the relief area .

      See Rule 25.4m (for players who use a wheeled mobility device, Rule 17.1d(3) is modified to expand the lateral relief area to four club-lengths ). See Committee Procedures, Section 8; Model Local Rule B-2 (the Committee may adopt a Local Rule allowing lateral relief on the opposite side of a red penalty area at an equal distance from the hole ).

      Relief Must Be Taken from Interference by No Play Zone in Penalty Area

      • Take penalty relief outside the penalty area under Rule 17.1d or 17.2 , or
      • Take free relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area (if it exists) in the penalty area (see Rule 14.3 ):
        • Reference Point : The nearest point of complete relief from the no play zone .
        • Size of Relief Area Measured from Reference Point : One club-length , but with these limits:
        • Limits on Location of Relief Area :
          • Must be in the same penalty area where the ball lies, and
          • Must not be nearer the hole than the reference point.
          • When playing the ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something from which the player is not allowed to take free relief (such as when a player is unable to make a stroke because of where the ball lies in a bush), or
          • When interference exists only because the player chooses a club, type of stance or swing, or direction of play that is clearly unreasonable under the circumstances.

          Options After Playing Ball from Penalty Area

          When Ball Played from Penalty Area Comes to Rest in Same or Another Penalty Area

          • The player may take further relief outside the penalty area under Rules 17.1d(2) or (3) (for a red penalty area ) or under Rule 17.2a(2).
          • If the player does so, they get one more penalty stroke , for a total of two penalty strokes : one stroke for taking stroke-and-distance relief, and one stroke for taking relief outside the penalty area .
          DIAGRAM #1 17.2a: BALL PLAYED FROM PENALTY AREA COMES TO REST IN SAME PENALTY AREA

          

          1. Take stroke-and-distance relief by playing a ball from a relief area based on where the previous stroke was made at point A, and is playing their 4th shot.
          2. Take back-on-the-line relief by dropping a ball outside the penalty area, keeping point X between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, and is playing their 4th shot.
          3. 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, and is playing their 4th shot.
          4. Play a ball from the teeing area as that was where they made the last stroke from outside the penalty area, and is playing their 4th shot.

          DIAGRAM #2 17.2a: BALL PLAYED FROM PENALTY AREA COMES TO REST IN SAME PENALTY AREA HAVING EXITED AND RE-ENTERED

          

          1. Take stroke-and-distance relief by playing a ball from a relief area based on where the previous stroke was made at point A, and is playing their 4th shot.
          2. Take back-on-the-line relief by dropping a ball outside the penalty area, keeping point X (the point where the ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area) between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, and is playing their 4th shot.
          3. 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, and is playing their 4th shot.
          4. Play a ball from the teeing area as that was where they made the last stroke from outside the penalty area, and is playing their 4th shot.

          When Ball Played from Penalty Area Is Lost, Out of Bounds or Unplayable Outside Penalty Area

          • Out of bounds or lost outside the penalty area (see Rule 18.2 ), or
          • Unplayable outside the penalty area (see Rule 19.2a ).
          • The player may take further relief outside the penalty area under Rule 17.1d(2) or (3) (for a red penalty area ) or under Rule 17.2a(2) .
          • If the player does so, they get one more penalty stroke , for a total of two penalty strokes : one stroke for taking stroke-and-distance relief, and one stroke for taking relief outside the penalty area .

          No Relief under Other Rules for Ball in Penalty Area

          • Interference by an abnormal course condition ( Rule 16.1 ),
          • An embedded ball ( Rule 16.3 ), or
          • An unplayable ball ( Rule 19 ).