How do I take free relief from ground under repair, casual water or a cart path?

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Accepted Answer

These are abnormal course conditions: animal holes, ground under repair, immovable obstructions (such as cart paths) and temporary water. Relief is under Rule 16.1. When you get relief: your ball touches or lies in the condition, or the condition physically interferes with your stance or swing. On the putting green only, it also counts if the condition is on your line of play. No free relief when: your ball is in a penalty area (use Rule 17 instead) playing the ball as it lies is clearly unreasonable because of something else (for example, a bush prevents a stroke) the interference only exists because of a clearly unreasonable club, stance, swing or direction of play. How to take it: Where your ball is Procedure General area Find the nearest point of complete relief in the general area. Drop within one club-length of it, not nearer the hole, in the general area, with complete relief from the condition. No penalty. Bunker Free relief: same method, but the reference point and relief area must be in the bunker (use the point of maximum available relief if there's no complete relief). Or, for one penalty stroke, drop back on the line outside the bunker. Putting green Place the ball at the nearest point of complete relief, on the green or in the general area (or the point of maximum available relief if there's none). No penalty. The nearest point of complete relief isn't always the nicest spot. It can be in thick rough.

Where your ball is	Procedure
General area	Find the nearest point of complete relief in the general area. Drop within one club-length of it, not nearer the hole, in the general area, with complete relief from the condition. No penalty.
Bunker	Free relief: same method, but the reference point and relief area must be in the bunker (use the point of maximum available relief if there's no complete relief). Or, for one penalty stroke, drop back on the line outside the bunker.
Putting green	Place the ball at the nearest point of complete relief, on the green or in the general area (or the point of maximum available relief if there's none). No penalty.