Sooner or later every golfer needs to drop a ball, whether after taking relief from a hazard or from something that should not be part of the challenge. The procedure is simple, and the rules have been simplified in recent years.
The correct drop
Hold the ball at knee height and let go so that it falls straight down. You may not throw it, spin it, roll it or use any motion that could change where it comes to rest, and it cannot bounce off you or your gear before landing. Knee height is simply where your knee sits when you stand upright, though you can drop from any posture.
Where the ball must land and rest
Relief is taken in a relief area, measured from a reference point. For a ball dropped under the free relief rules, the area is usually measured in club-lengths from the nearest point of complete relief, and it cannot be closer to the hole. The area has to be in the same part of the course as the reference point.
When relief is free
Some conditions are not meant to be part of the challenge, so relief carries no penalty in most places. They include:
- Animal holes.
- Ground under repair.
- Immovable obstructions.
- Temporary water.
Free relief generally does not apply inside a penalty area. A ball that has sunk into its own ball mark through the general area also qualifies.
Before you drop
Work out your reference point first, then confirm the size of the relief area and the part of the course it must stay in. Taking a moment here avoids having to correct a drop afterward.
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