Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions

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Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions), Dangerous Animal Condition, Embedded Ball

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Official Rules

16.1Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions)

16.2Dangerous Animal Condition

16.3Embedded Ball

16.4Lifting Ball to See If It Lies in Condition Where Relief Allowed

Rule 15 Rule 17

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Purpose of Rule: Rule 16 covers when and how the player may take free relief by playing a ball from a different place, such as when there is interference by an abnormal course condition or a dangerous animal condition.

These conditions are not treated as part of the challenge of playing the course, and free relief is generally allowed except in a penalty area.
The player normally takes relief by dropping a ball in a relief area based on the nearest point of complete relief.

This Rule also covers free relief when a player’s ball is embedded in its own pitch-mark in the general area.

Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions), Dangerous Animal Condition, Embedded Ball

16.1

Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions)

This Rule covers free relief that is allowed from interference by animal holes, ground under repair, immovable obstructions or temporary water:

These are collectively called abnormal course conditions, but each has a separate definition.
This Rule does not give relief from movable obstructions (a different type of free relief is allowed under Rule 15.2a) or boundary objects or integral objects (no free relief is allowed).

16.4

Lifting Ball to See If It Lies in Condition Where Relief Allowed

If a player reasonably believes that their ball lies in a condition where free relief is allowed under Rule 15.2, 16.1 or 16.3, but cannot decide that without lifting the ball:

The player may lift the ball to see if relief is allowed, but:
The spot of the ball must first be marked, and the lifted ball must not be cleaned (except on the putting green) (see Rule 14.1).

If the player lifts the ball without having this reasonable belief (except on the putting green where the player may lift under Rule 13.1b), they get one penalty stroke. If relief is allowed and the player takes relief, there is no penalty even if the player did not mark the spot of the ball before lifting it or cleaned the lifted ball. If relief is not allowed, or if the player chooses not to take relief that is allowed:

The player gets one penalty stroke if they did not mark the spot of the ball before lifting it or cleaned the lifted ball when not allowed, and
The ball must be replaced on its original spot (see Rule 14.2).

Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 16.4: General Penalty Under Rule 14.7a.