Rule of the Week – When Free Relief is Allowed for an Embedded Ball

Rule – 10.11.1

Relief is allowed only when your ball is embedded in the general area. Your ball is embedded only if it is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of your previous stroke and part of your ball is below the level of the ground.

But if your ball is embedded on the putting green, you may mark the spot of your ball, lift and clean it, repair the damage, and replace your ball on its original spot.

Exceptions – When Relief Not Allowed for Ball Embedded in General Area:

• When your ball is embedded in sand in a part of the general area that is not cut to fairway height or less, or
• When playing the ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something from which the player is not allowed to take free relief (such as when you are unable to make a stroke because of where your ball lies in a bush).