Penalty Areas
PENALTY AREAS RULE
17
Although we now only have red penalty areas at Breakers, you
need to know the rule for Yellow penalty areas as well in case you come across
one at another course (eg Toukley) so...
Relief for ball in Yellow Penalty Area (this has not changed!)
1.
Stroke and distance relief. Go back and hit from where you played the
previous stroke for a one stroke penalty (One club length relief area from the
original point in the general area)
2.
Back on the Line relief. The reference line is the line from where the
ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area to the flag. You may go back as
far as you like on the line. (One club length relief area from the chosen point
in the general area)
The above two options are also available for all Red Penalty Areas
(this has also not changed!)
For Red Penalty Areas
there is still this additional option
3.
Lateral relief. You may take two club lengths
relief from the reference point, where the ball last crossed the edge of
the penalty area. It must not be nearer the hole.
As an example, on our 3rd hole, you may sometimes
prefer to use option 2 above as that may take you back to a good lie on the
fairway whereas you might get a poor lie if you choose to drop using option 3.
It is important to
note that you can no longer take relief on the opposite side of a red penalty
area, UNLESS there is a local rule allowing this option. This is the case on
our 4th hole.
You can drop on the fairway side even if you didn’t cross on
that side BUT....NOT WHERE IT FINISHED!!!
You must estimate the point on the opposite side that is the same
distance from the flag as the point where your ball last crossed the edge of
the penalty area and drop within two club lengths of that point, no nearer
the hole.
NOTE: Changes when dropping. As well as dropping from
knee height, another very important change when dropping is that the ball must finish
within the relief area. It can no longer roll two club lengths out of the relief
area.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR RULE BOOK (RULE 17 page 104) for further
information and diagrams.
If you still aren’t sure, please ask for clarification as
these rules come up just about every time we play at Breakers so it is
important for us all to know the correct procedures.
