What are your options when your golf ball is on a cart path?
Many golfers confuse this very simple ruling. You have very clear cut options when your golf ball comes to rest on a cart path.
The rules of golf allow you a free drop for your golf ball no nearer to the hole. What does this actually mean? You want to find the point where you can stand, drop the golf ball, and swing the golf club without interference from the cart path. That point is called your “point of relief”. You can then drop within one club length of that point. And yes, it can be any golf club in your bag.
A couple of key points to remember. First, there is no penalty for this drop. Second, your golf ball must end up no nearer to the hole than where it originally ended up. And third, you can’t re-drop if you don’t like where the golf ball ended up. However, if the ball rolled nearer to the hole when you dropped it, you can re-drop.
And what if it does the same thing after the second drop? You can then place your golf ball at the point on the ground where it landed before it rolled.
See, golf really is a simple game isn’t it?
Could you please clarify further regarding which side of the path you can go to. I know it is the opposite for right handers vs left handers but does it matter where the ball is on the path? I think it is the nearest point of relief for the ball itself. In other words, when you take your relief stance, the ball must always be between you and the path. That is why the lefty has to go to the other side of the path from the righty. Is it true that it doesn't matter where the ball is on the path(i.e. nearer one side or the other)?The only fact to determine is that it is "on the path"
Posted by: Ted at June 17, 2008 05:33 PMYou are right in that it is "THE CLOSEST POINT OF RELIEF". You are not correct in that it can be either side of the path.
