Free Relief in Golf: Cart Paths, Ground Under Repair, Temporary Water and Embedded Balls (Rule 16)
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How we wrote this: A plain-English summary of Rule 16 of the official Rules of Golf as published by the R&A, checked October 29, 2026. Local Rules can change what's marked and what relief applies.
Rule 16 covers free relief: situations that aren't treated as part of the challenge of the course, so you can move your ball without a penalty.
What qualifies
Rule 16.1 gives free relief from abnormal course conditions: animal holes, ground under repair, immovable obstructions (such as cart paths and sprinkler heads) and temporary water. Rule 16 also covers dangerous animal conditions and embedded balls.
You have interference when (Rule 16.1a):
- your ball touches or is in or on the condition,
- the condition physically interferes with your intended stance or swing, or
- only when your ball is on the putting green, the condition is on your line of play.
Being merely distracted by it isn't interference. Free relief is generally not available in a penalty area.
How to take relief in the general area
Rule 16.1b:
- Find the nearest point of complete relief: the nearest spot, not nearer the hole, where the condition no longer interferes at all.
- Drop in a relief area one club-length from that point, not nearer the hole and in the general area.
- You must get complete relief from all interference by the condition.
In a bunker
Rule 16.1c gives two choices:
- Free relief in the bunker: the nearest point of complete relief and the relief area must be in the bunker. If there's no such point, you may use the point of maximum available relief in the bunker.
- One penalty stroke for back-on-the-line relief outside the bunker.
On the putting green
Rule 16.1d: place (don't drop) the ball at the nearest point of complete relief, which must be on the putting green or in the general area. On the green, a condition on your line of play counts as interference.
Embedded ball
Rule 16.3: if your ball is embedded in its own pitch-mark in the general area, you may drop within one club-length of the spot right behind it, not nearer the hole and in the general area. Exceptions: no relief for a ball embedded in sand in an area not cut to fairway height or less. On the putting green, you may mark, lift, clean and repair the damage, then replace the ball (Rule 13.1c). See the 2026 Model Local Rules for the TV-only extended option.
Not sure? You may lift to check
Rule 16.4 lets you lift the ball to see whether relief is allowed, but you must mark it first, and you can't clean it except on the putting green.
Also see our guides to penalty areas and unplayable balls.