TheRULES
Be Careful What
You Wish For
ust because you may
lift your ball on the golf
course, does that mean you
should? Not always. Sometimes it can be to your disadvantage to lift your ball,
even though you may be
well within your right to do so.
While reading the Rules of Golf, whenever you see the word “may,” it means that
you have options. However, when you see
the word “must,” it is an instruction to be
followed and there is a penalty involved if
not carried out.
For example: A player’s ball is at rest,
through the green, and there is interference
by an abnormal ground condition (e.g.
an area of casual water or ground under
repair). Rule 25-1b states that the player
may take relief from the condition, without
penalty. However, once the player lifts the
ball to take relief, the Rule says that the ball
must be dropped within one club-length of
and not nearer the hole than the nearest
point of relief. The nearest point of relief,
as defined in the Rules of Golf, is the point
on the course nearest to where the ball lies:
Before lifting your ball under
Rule 25-1 or Rule 24-2, be
• That is not nearer
sure that the nearest point of
the hole, and;
relief is in a desirable location.
• Where, if the ball
were so positioned,
no interference by the condition from
tions, it may be to the player’s benefit to play
which relief is sought would exist for
the ball as it lies instead of taking free relief.
the stroke the player would have made
So, in the example given, what if the playfrom the original position if the condier were to lift the ball intending to take free
tion were not there.
relief then decide not to drop it? The ball
Rule 25-1b(i) further states that the nearmust either be replaced where it was origest point of relief must not be in a hazard
inally at rest under penalty of one stroke
or on a putting green and when the ball is
or the player must proceed under another
dropped, it must first strike a part of the
applicable Rule under penalty of at least
course at a spot that avoids interference by
one stroke (see Decision 18-2/12.5).
the condition and is not in a hazard and not
This example details a specific situation,
on a putting green.
but the lesson learned applies to any situaAs you can see by the above situation, the
tion in which a ball may be lifted and played
area in which the player must drop the ball
from somewhere else, such as the other
when lifted under this Rule is very specific
relief scenarios covered in Rule 25-1 and
and, contrary to many mistaken beliefs, the
the relief options in Rule 24-2 (Immovable
player is not permitted to choose this area.
Obstruction). The bottom line is before you
In some cases, the area that the player must
lift your ball, be sure to know how the Rules
drop the ball may be undesirable, such as
will require you to proceed because the
very thick rough or an area resulting in a poor
result may not be what you had wished for.
angle for the player’s next stroke. In other
words, the nearest point of relief may not be
Josh Coates is the assistant director of
the nicest point of relief and in these situarules & comp ]][ۜ