The R&A (2024)

A ball is in a penalty area when any part of the ball:

• 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.

If part of the ball is both in a penalty area and in another area of the course, see Rule 2.2c.

The player may either:

• 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 Rule17.1d or 17.2.

Exception – Relief Must Be Taken from Interference by No Play Zone in Penalty Area (see Rule 17.1e).

If a player’s ball has not been found and it is known or virtually certain that the ball came to rest in a penalty area:

• The player may take penalty relief under Rule17.1d 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).

But if it is not known or virtually certain that the ball came to rest in a penalty area and the ball is lost, the player must take stroke-and-distance relief under Rule 18.2.

If a player's ball is in a penalty area, including when it is known or virtually certain to be in a penalty area even though not found, the player has these relief options, each for one penalty stroke:(1) Stroke-and-Distance Relief. The player may play the original ball or another ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).(2) Back-on-the-Line Relief. The player may drop the original ball or another ball (see Rule 14.3) outside the penalty area, keeping the estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area between the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped (with no limit as to how far back the ball may be dropped). The spot on the line where the ball first touches the ground when dropped creates a relief area that is one club-length in any direction from that point, but with these limits:

• 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.

(3) Lateral Relief (Only for Red Penalty Area). When the ball last crossed the edge of a red penalty area, the player may drop the original ball or another ball in this lateral relief area (see Rule 14.3):

• 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 anyarea 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).

In each of these situations, the player must not play the ball as it lies:(1) When Ball Is in No Play Zone in Penalty Area. The player must take penalty relief under Rule 17.1dor 17.2.If the player has interference from a no play zone after taking relief under this Rule, the ball must not be played as it lies. Instead, the player must take further relief under Rule 16.1f(2).(2) When No Play Zone on Course Interferes with Stance or Swing for Ball in Penalty Area. If a player’s ball is in a penalty area, and is outside a no play zone but a no play zone (whether in an abnormal course condition or in a penalty area) interferes with their area of intended stance or area of intended swing, the player must either:

• Take penalty relief outside the penalty area under Rule 17.1dor 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.

(3) No Relief When Clearly Unreasonable. There is no free relief from interference by the no play zone under (2):

• 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 circ*mstances.

For what to do when there is interference by a no play zone for a ball anywhere except in a penalty area, see Rule 16.1f.Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 17.1: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.

If a ball played from a penalty area comes to rest in the same penalty area or another penalty area, the player may play the ball as it lies (see Rule 17.1b).Or, for one penalty stroke, the player may take relief under any of these options:(1) Normal Relief Options. The player may take stroke-and-distance relief under Rule 17.1d(1), back-on-the-line relief under Rule 17.1d(2) or, for a red penalty area, lateral relief under Rule 17.1d(3).Under Rule 17.1d(2) or (3), the estimated point used to determine the relief area is where the original ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area where the ball now lies.If the player takes stroke-and-distance relief by dropping a ball in the penalty area (see Rule 14.6) and then decides not to play the dropped ball from where it comes to rest:

• 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.

(2) Extra Relief Option: Playing from Where Last Stroke Made Outside a Penalty Area. Instead of using one of the normal relief options under (1), the player may choose to play the original ball or another ball from where they made the last stroke from outside a penalty area (see Rule 14.6).

After playing a ball from a penalty area, a player may sometimes be required or choose to take stroke-and-distance relief because the original ball is either:

• Out of bounds or lost outside the penalty area (see Rule 18.2), or
• Unplayable outside the penalty area (see Rule 19.2a).

If the player takes stroke-and-distance relief by dropping a ball in the penalty area (see Rule 14.6) and then decides not to play the dropped ball from where it comes to rest:

• The player may take further relief outside the penalty area under Rule17.1d(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.

The player may directly take such relief outside the penalty area without first dropping a ball in the penalty area, but still gets a total of two penalty strokes.Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 17.2: General Penalty under Rule 14.7a.