STOP! Don’t Touch that Ball on the Cart Path
You’ve hit a nice long shot which makes you happy – even if it was left of your target. When you reach your ball you find it is on the left side of a cart path. You know you are entitled to relief without penalty from immovable obstructions, so no problem. Right?
Rule 24 — Obstructions — tells us that we are entitled to relief from something that is man made and that is either movable or immovable. In our situation the cart path is obviously immovable and if we have interference with either the lie of our ball, our stance or the area of our intended swing, we are entitled to relief.
It is important to remember that we are getting relief from the immovable obstruction. Relief does not guarantee the ball will end up in a perfect lie, a good lie or even in a place where we can make a stroke at the ball.
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KEY CONCEPT: Do not lift the ball from the cart path until you determine where you are going to be dropping it. Playing from the cart path may be your best option. If you have lifted the ball, it will cost you a one-stroke penalty to replace it on the path. Decision 18-2a/12.
Step 1: When you find your ball on a cart path, select the club you would use to make your next stroke if the cart path were not there. Many times this is based on yardage alone (5 wood), but sometimes you have a more challenging lie where you would have to play a punch shot (6 iron) or a high shot over a bush (lob wedge). Knowing what the shot dictates determines which club you use to find the nearest point of relief.
Step 2: With the club in hand (in this case the 5 wood) take your stance and address an imaginary ball on the right side and then on the left side of the path. Put a tee at the spot where the club head touches the ground on each side. This spot must not be nearer the hole than where the ball lies on the path, and if the ball were placed on that spot there would no longer be interference with the cart path for the lie of the ball, your stance or the area of your intended swing. In other words, you would have complete relief from the cart path.
KEY CONCEPT: When taking relief without penalty the Rules of Golf require that you take complete relief and the ball cannot be dropped in a hazard or on a putting green. Relief with penalty does not have these restrictions.
Step 3: Look at the distance from the ball to each tee. You may even have to measure if it is close. Which is the point nearer the ball? With a right handed golfer and the ball on the left of the cart path, as pictured, the player’s nearest point of relief would be just off the left side of the path.
Step 4: Now you can select any club in your bag and measure one club-length from the tee that indicates nearest point of relief. This area has some restrictions. It cannot be nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief; it cannot be in a bunker or water hazard. Normally this area is like a slice of pie in shape with the size determined by the angles to the hole and the restriction of not getting nearer to the hole than where the ball originally lay on the path.
Step 5a: Look over the area and the ground within two club-lengths. If you like this area, you can now lift the ball from the path, clean it, and drop it in this area. Remember the ball must first strike the course within this area, but it does not have to stay within this one club-length of ground. It may roll up to two club-lengths from where it first struck the course, but if it rolls more than that, it would have to be re-dropped. Please review the other situations under Rule 20-2c which would require that the ball be re-dropped.
Step 5b: If you determine the area where the ball is to be dropped is not going to give you a good place from which to play your next stroke as it is a steep slope or an area of rocks and shrubs, taking relief from the cart path may not be your best option. Play your ball from the path – even if using a putter is your best option.
Know the Rules. They can save you strokes and make the game more fun.
I’m confused about whether to take one club length or two club lengths from where you marked with tees to determine which is the closest relief spot.
August 26th, 2007 at 4:28 pmThis article helped me a lot on my homework.
August 29th, 2007 at 6:31 amball on cart path, nearest point of relief, does that mean from the edge of the road (cart path) that the ball is closest to?
September 3rd, 2007 at 11:59 amif the ball is on the road/cart path, nearest point of relief, does that mean from the edge of the road (cart path) that the ball is closest to?
September 3rd, 2007 at 12:03 pmIf the ball touches the course side of the out of bounds line or stake is it deemed OB? if not then why can’t you remove ob stakes if your ball is touching the ob stake on the course side of the ob stake, because it’s not out of bounds unless it’s on or over the ob line or on the outside of the ob stake?
September 3rd, 2007 at 12:09 pmDear Rose,
When it is releif without a penalty it is one club-length. When you are taking releif with a penalty it is 2 club-lengths.
Dear Ed, Take your address position on both side of the cart path, not nearer the hole. Put a golf tee where the clubhead touches the ground. Now measure from the ball to that tee. Which is the nearest point of releif. REMINDER: On one side you have to get your feet off the path and then “address the imaginary ball” on the other side, it is where the club head can be positioned without swinging and striking the cart path.
September 27th, 2007 at 9:49 amGail,
March 9th, 2008 at 8:07 pmI am also confused on this you say that “without a penalty is a one club length” and my unerstanding is that in this circumstance your drop is no more that 2 club lengths? Which you say is a penalty relief?
Colin,
Please look at Rule 24 Obstructions. Relief without penalty is available for a ball on a cart path – immovable obstruction. See response to Ed for finding the nearest point of releif. Then it is one club length from that point. It is not “no more than 2″. I am not sure where you got that bit of incorrect information unless you were looking at Temporary Immovable Obstructions which is for relief from obstructions that are not normally on the course except for major championshps – scoreboards, grand stands, portable restrooms, food concession areas, etc. You do not want that informtion in your normal course play as it does not apply.
Gail
March 12th, 2008 at 9:43 amI had a situation at Sharp Park Golf Course the Par 5 #4 hole.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:24 pmThe cart path goes up the left side of the fairway.
My ball came to rest on the cart path nearer to left side.
There are bushes along the left side of the cart path.
If I understand the rule, I must drop inside the bush?
That doesn’t seem like relief to me.
Can I go to the other side of the cart path no closer to the
hole?
Help someone!
Hi Nick,
In your situation playing from the path might be your best option.
Remember what you are taking releif from is an obstruction. While you might get that releif, it does not guarantee that you have a playalbe lie.
As an alternative to playing from the path, you can under penalty of one stroke declare your ball unplayable and drop within 2 club-lengths and that might get you to the fairway side depending on the width of the path.
Gail
April 29th, 2008 at 10:45 amI was playing the 10th hole at Boundary Oak with a fellow SIR member and he was allowed to take relief from the cart path. He informed me that under the rules he had the option of determining the nearest point of relief as if he were swinging left-handed. He had no left-handed clubs and had played every shot right handed up to that point. I informed him that he must be delusional to make such an interpretation. Was he?
June 10th, 2008 at 2:48 pmTony, I recently saw a tip showing that your friend is correct in this rule. It is possible to address the ball left handed to gain the cart path rule. After moving to the closest point of relief, you are no longer obliged to address left handed anymore. A useful twist, if you know the rules.
Am certain that this would likely cause a strong rebuttal from a friend “like you” but I saw this published in Golf Digest, I believe. Gail, can you confirm?
June 27th, 2008 at 8:10 amHere is the incident. Player hit his drive 200 yards to the right of the fairway. Hole is a 384 par 4 hole. Ball settles a foot or so to the right of the cart path. Since player will be standing on the cart path, he asked for a relief. Player asked how to go about it. Companion said to take a stance outside of the cart path (right side) since it is obvious it will be the closest point of relief. Mark that spot and player has 1 club length to drop the ball not nearer the hole. Player is not happy since the grass is ticker (4 inches versus 2 where the ball lied). Also, when placing a driver from the marker, a foot or so of the driver lies out of bounds. Player claims he is entitled to drop to the left of the cart path. Is he correct?
One more question, I often see players ask for a relief from the cart path and it is obvious the closest point of relief is either left or right of the cart path. Can player just pick up his ball without marking it first then make a drop? In a tournament played under USGA rules, is there a rule infraction?
Thanks
August 10th, 2008 at 2:02 pmDear Angel,
As long as the player has a spot to drop on that meets the requirements of the drop, the right side is the place to drop the ball as you describe it. One is not entitled to a complete club-length that is just the maximum that is allowed. Sometimes, when taking relief there is a nearest point that meets the requirement and then just 2 or 3 inches beyond that point. That is still the nearest point of relief and the ball must first strike the course within those 2 or 3 inches to be a good drop. The ball almost certainly will bounce outside that area and have to be re-dropped and then be placed on the spot where it first struck the course within the 2 – 3 inch area.
As to question 2, a ball that is not going to be replaced does not have to be marked before it is lifted. The player can estimate the drop area and drop the ball. The requirements is that it is dropped in the proper area. See Decision 24-2b/2. If you do not have a Decision on the Rules of Golf book you can read this on line at usga.org under the Rules heading.
Thank you for your interest in the Rules of Golf.
Gail
Gail Rogers
August 12th, 2008 at 12:04 pmDirector of Educaion
“Tony, I recently saw a tip showing that your friend is correct in this rule. It is possible to address the ball left handed to gain the cart path rule. After moving to the closest point of relief, you are no longer obliged to address left handed anymore. A useful twist, if you know the rules.
Am certain that this would likely cause a strong rebuttal from a friend “like you” but I saw this published in Golf Digest, I believe. Gail, can you confirm?”
That’s not true in almost every case. You must use the stance you would take to make the swing if the cart path weren’t there. If you were up against the right side of a tree (right-handed) and would normally hit the ball left-handed , then you must take relief with the left-handed stance. If after that drop you decide to hit the ball normally, you can. If the cart path comes into play then, you can (must??) drop again using your normal stance. I can’t remember which decision it is, but it’s in the book somewhere…
I’m almost positive about this, but confirmation would be great.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:12 pmAnd a question:
If I cannot take a stance due to an O.B. fence, is that still my nearest point of relief?
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:15 pmIan,
Decision 24-2b/17 is the decision you are looking for. If a right handed player has no shot right handed, but can make a stroke left handed and now finds he has interference from an obstruction, he can take relief form the obstruction. Afer that relief is taken if a right handes stroke is avaialbe, he can play right handed.
The key is that his left-handed stroke while abnormal for him is reasonable in the circumstances.
Regarding ht esecond question,Decsion 24-2b/3.5 provides the answer. It a boundary fence prevents the player form adopting the required address positon, the nearest point of releif must be estimated and the ball dropped within one club-length of that point, no nearer the hole.
Gail Rogers
September 4th, 2008 at 8:21 amDriectof of Education
Hi Gail,
I just played with a person who uses a long putter. His Putter was longer than his driver. Since his putter was an approved club and he was only playing with 14 clubs, he used this long putter to measure ‘one club length’. Is this acceptable? I’m assuming it is, but I could not find a decision in the Decision Book and wanted a confirmation. Thanks. Sue
October 24th, 2008 at 3:30 pmIt is very unclear which 2 club lengths and which one club length from what point. I might suggest a graphic would help people a lot. For instance show the cart path. Show the 2 points for consideration ie left and right of Cart path. Then show the drop zone with a circle (2 club length or 1 club length). If thereis a book you know of that illustrates this already let me know I’ll buy one today!
June 15th, 2009 at 10:21 amHoward,
June 15th, 2009 at 11:08 amThe USGA’s Decisions on the Rules of Golf has some diagrams that might be helpful. Decision 25-1b/2 is a good reference. You can find it by cutting and pasting this link: http://www.usga.org/bookdecision.aspx?id=14303#25-1b/2
Hi, I have a Question:
February 20th, 2010 at 8:17 amWhat if the nearest point of relief from the cart path has been properly determined and is in the hazard or putting green or is out of bounds, does it mean that there is no nearest point of relief for that particular situation and that the player needs to play the ball as it lies on the cart path or has to take a penalty drop?
Ted,
February 21st, 2010 at 7:49 amRule 24-2 states that the nearest point of relief cannot be in a hazard, on a putting green, out of bounds or nearer the hole. The player would have to determine the nearest point of relief on the other side of the obstruction.
[...] I couldn't eat anything else for a whole year! Yes, that infamous line of the post titleSTOP! Don't Touch that Ball on the Cart Path — Northern …Afer that relief is taken if a right handes stroke is avaialbe, he can play right handed. The key is [...]
March 20th, 2010 at 3:11 am