Every now and then, the Rules of Golf work in your favour. If you find yourself in a spot of bother on the course, you might just be entitled to a free drop. Here are the most common situations in which that will be the case.
Ground Under Repair
If the committee has defined any part of the course as ground under repair, you will be entitled to a free drop from it if your ball finds it. Even if the committee hasn’t defined it, there are certain things that are classed as ground under repair, from which you will get free relief. These are – Holes made by the committee or maintenance staff such as a one made when removing a tree stump or laying pipelines, any grass cuttings or other organic material piled for later removal and any animal habitat that could be damaged by your stroke or stance, a bird’s nest for example. You have one club length in which to drop from the nearest point of complete relief (where it no longer interferes with your lie, swing or stance) from the ground under repair, no closer to the hole.
Temporary Water
If it’s been raining and a lot of water has accumulated on the course, you are going to get relief from it, as long as your ball isn’t in a penalty area. If you’re in a puddle anywhere else on the course or if water rises above the ground where you are standing, you will get a free drop away from it.
Temporary water could also be overflow from an irrigation system or from a body of water. You have one club length in which to drop from the nearest point of complete relief from the temporary water, no closer to the hole.
Immovable Obstructions
Something artificial on the course that is not an integral object or a boundary object which cannot be moved. Examples of immovable obstructions are, cart paths, benches, bins, water fountains. You get a free drop from an immovable obstruction. You have one club length in which to drop from the nearest point of complete relief from the immovable obstruction, no closer to the hole.
Embedded Ball
If your ball is embedded anywhere in the General Area, you get a one club length free drop from the spot right behind where the ball is embedded. The ball must be in its own pitch mark and part of the ball must be below the level of the ground for it to be embedded. If your ball is embedded in a bunker or a penalty area, there is no free relief.
Animal Trouble
If a “dangerous animal condition” exists, you will be entitled to a free drop. If your ball is surrounded by venomous snakes, you get a free drop within a club length of the nearest point where the dangerous situation no longer exists.
Ones That Cost You a stroke
If you decide that your ball is simply in an unplayable situation, you are not going to get a free drop. You will have to add a shot and either, play again from where the original shot was taken, take back on the line relief keeping the spot of the ball in a direct line with the flag as you go back, or a lateral, two-club length drop from the point of the unplayable ball.
You’re not entitled to a free drop when you’re taking relief from a penalty area. If you’re dropping out from a stream, then you’re going to have to add a shot on.
If you lose a ball out of bounds and have to drop and play another, you’re going to have to add a penalty shot on.
Sometimes a drop is free and sometimes it will cost you. Best checking The Rule book to see which is the case.
