Dropping The Ball

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Principles for Dropping the Ball in a Relief Area. (Rule 14.3) The ever-evolving dropping procedure will have a new look starting in 2019. When you are returning a ball into play by being required to drop a ball under the Rules, you will now drop from knee height. This does not mean knee height or higher. The same principle applies as when you were to drop a ball from shoulder height. Your knee joint is now the correct and only reference point you need to worry about when dropping a ball. Click HERE and HERE to see a video explanation.

 

 

Measuring Club Lengths. When measuring for a relief area, you will be required to keep the ball with either one or two club lengths of the reference point. When measuring a "club length", the unit of measurement will ALWAYS be the longest club in your bag that is not your putter. Whatever club that is (usually a driver), that will be your standard unit of measurement whenever you play golf and are required to measure the necessary one or two club length area. If your driver measures 45 inches long, then that will always be how far a "club length" is for you. So, when measuring two club lengths for relief from a penalty area, the unit of measurement for YOU will be 90 inches.

 

So, if you use a wedge to measure your club length, it will be a bit deceiving because YOUR unit of measurement will always be tied to the longest club in your bag except your putter. Which, in this example, would be exactly 45 inches. Click HERE to see a video explanation.

 

 

Reference Point and Relief Area. (Rule 14.3 and definition of Relief Area) When dropping a ball for any reason, you should establish the reference point and the relief area into which the ball will be dropped.

 

The reference point is the point from which the relief area is measured when dropping a ball. The reference point is different based on what Rule is being applied, which each Rule will outline where the reference point would be when taking relief under that particular Rule.

 

The relief area is the area on the golf course where the ball must first land and then remain anywhere inside the established relief area when taking relief from a situation. The relief area is measured either one or two club lengths from the reference point. For instance, when taking relief from a cart path, the ball must land and come to rest within the established relief area. If the ball rolls outside of the relief area for any reason, the player will be required to re-drop a ball. Click HERE to see a video explanation.

 

 

 

Dropping in the "Right Way". (Rule 14.3) When dropping, you must drop a ball in the "Right Way". This means all of these three (3) things must be true:
 

1) The player must drop the ball

2) The ball must be dropped straight down from knee height without touching player or equipment before it hits the ground.

3) The ball must be dropped in the relief area
 

If any one of these procedures is not followed, the player must drop a ball again until a ball has been dropped correctly in the "Right Way" listed above. There is no limit to the number of drops you must complete to have the ball dropped in the "Right Way". Click HERE to see a video explanation.

 

 

Ball will not stay in the Relief Area when Dropping. (Rule 14.3c(2)) In some instances, a ball will not stay and come to rest inside the prescribed relief area when taking a drop, even if this was done in the "Right Way". When taking relief under a Rule, if you drop a ball inside the relief area in the "Right Way" and the ball then rolls outside and comes to rest outside of the relief area, you must again drop a ball within the prescribed relief area. If, when dropped in the "Right Way" after the second drop, the ball does not stay in and come to rest inside the prescribed relief area, you must place a ball on the spot where the ball dropped for a second time struck the golf course. Click HERE to see a video explanation.

 

 

 

Ball Deliberately Deflected or Stopped when Dropping. (Rule 14.3d) A ball must not be intentionally deflected or stopped before it comes to rest when being dropped to take relief. The only exception is that you will be not penalized if you stop a ball when there is no reasonable chance the ball will end up in the prescribed relief area. It does not matter whether the ball in motion is inside or outside the relief area when it has been stopped as long it is reasonable to believe the ball will not come to rest there.

For instance, a player drops a ball and it bounces hard on hardpan ground and is very clearly headed toward a pond. The player may grab the ball to prevent it from going into the pond. As long as the ball was dropped in the "Right Way", it will count as one of the two drops before a player needs to place the ball.

 

 

 

Ball hits the Player or Equipment when Dropped in the Relief Area. (Rule 14.3c) If a ball that was dropped in the "Right Way" first hits the ground in the Relief Area and then accidentally hits you (i.e. bounces off your foot) or your equipment (i.e. your tee or club used to denote the reference point or relief area), there is no penalty and the ball will be played as it lies as long as it has ended up coming to rest inside the relief area.

 

 

 

Substituting a Ball when Dropping. (Rule 14.3a) When you are dropping a ball for any reason (cart path relief, penalty area relief, embedded ball, etc.) you may either use that original ball or substitute a ball when taking your relief. You are no longer required to use the original ball when dropping. This does not apply when a ball must be placed or replaced on an original spot (i.e. the putting green) Click HERE to see a video explanation.