NEAREST POINT OF RELIEF

Most players, even seasoned veterans of the game of golf get confused when they face a situation were they must determine the “nearest point of relief.” Most of that confusion occurs when the player is trying to determine where that point is.

The following is directly from the USGA Rules of Golf where it defines the term for the player. (Section II, Definitions)

The “nearest point of relief” is the reference point for taking relief without penalty from interference by an immovable obstruction (Rule 24-2), an abnormal ground condition (Rule 25-1) or a wrong putting green (Rule 25-3)

The Rule Book here tells the player that the “nearest point of relief” is a specific point on the golf course. The player must also know the definitions of obstruction, abnormal ground condition and wrong putting green in order to proceed. When reading a rule, the Rule Book lets the player know that you can find the definition of the term it is using by italicizing the term.

This is how the Rules of Golf define that specific point on the golf course. Again, the following is taken directly from the Rule Book.

It is the point on the course nearest to where the ball lies:

(i) that is not nearer the hole, and
(ii) where, if the ball were so positioned, no interference by the condition from which relief is sought would exist for the stroke the player would have made from the original position if the condition were not there.

Note: In order to determine the nearest point of relief accurately, the player should use the club with which he would have made his next stroke if the condition were not there to simulate the address position, direction of play and swing for such a stroke.

So, what does all of this mean? First the player must know the definitions of course, hole, stroke and address. The Rule Book lets us know that by italicizing those words. Once the player has looked up the definitions, if he/she didn’t already know them, the player is ready to proceed.

I’m going to use as an example that the player’s ball has come to rest on the cart path 120 yards from the hole to the left of the fairway. The player arrives at the position of the ball and starts to consider the options available for this shot. The player may elect to play this shot from its current position on the cart path. There may be several reasons for this decision; the angle to the hole may suit the player’s eye, after loosely determining the nearest point of relief the player may not like the ground conditions or the condition of the turf, there may be a tree or shrub that will impede the stroke, the player may have to drop into an unplayable position or there simply might not be anywhere to drop the ball on the course. So remember that the player always has the option of playing the ball where it lies.

For this example the player is going to elect to take relief from the obstruction (cart path). Determining the nearest point of relief will depend on whether the player is right or left-handed. Let’s say that this player hits his/her Pitching Wedge 120 yards. The player should take his/her pitching wedge, then take an address position. This means that the player has taken his/her stance and has grounded the pitching wedge with no interference from the obstruction (cart path). The nearest point of relief is where the clubhead is grounded and is the closest spot in play, no nearer the hole, free from the obstruction. At this point, the specific spot on the course has been determined. The player should mark this spot with a tee and may now get the longest club in his/her bag to measure the one club length. Once the player drops the ball and the ball hits the course within the measured one club length and does not move closer to the hole, the player’s ball is in play.

Tom Beeler is a Class “A” Member of the PGA of America and the Tri-State PGA. Tom has officiated hundreds of events ranging from events at the Club level, Playing Ability Tests for aspiring professionals and Monday Qualifying events for the Nationwide and PGA Tours. If you have a Rules of Golf question for Tom, you can send it to him at tjbgolfent@pga.com 1-800-762-3677 or visit them at www.kpga.com