When it is known or virtually certain that a ball is in a red penalty area and the player wishes to take relief, the player has three options, each for one penalty stroke. The player may:
Take stroke-and-distance relief by playing a ball from a relief area based on where the previous stroke was made.
Take back-on-the-line relief by dropping a ball outside the penalty area, keeping point X between the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped.
Take lateral relief (red penalty area only). The reference point for taking relief is point X, and a ball must be dropped in and played from the two club-length relief area, which is no nearer the hole than point X.
When it is known or virtually certain that a ball is in a yellow penalty area and the player wishes to take relief, the player has two options, each for one penalty stroke. The player may:
Take stroke-and-distance relief by playing a ball from a relief area based on where the previous stroke was made.
Take back-on-the-line relief by dropping a ball outside the penalty area, keeping point X between the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped.
A player decides that their ball in a bush is unplayable. The player has three options, in each case adding one penalty stroke. The player may:
Take stroke-and-distance relief by playing a ball from a relief area based on where the previous stroke was made.
Take back-on-the-line relief by dropping a ball behind the spot of the original ball, keeping the spot of the original ball between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped.
Take lateral relief. The reference point for taking relief is the spot of the original ball and a ball must be dropped in and played from the two club-length relief area, which is no nearer the hole than the reference point.
A player decides that their ball in a bunker is unplayable. The player has four options:
For one penalty stroke, the player may take stroke-and-distance relief.
For one penalty stroke, the player may take back-on-the-line relief in the bunker.
For one penalty stroke, the player may take lateral relief in the bunker.
For a total of two penalty strokes, the player may take back-on-the-line relief outside the bunker.
In making a stroke, the player must not anchor the club, either:
Directly, by holding the club or a gripping hand against any part of the body (except that the player may hold the club or a gripping hand against a hand or forearm), or
Indirectly, through use of an “anchor point,” by holding a forearm against any part of the body to use a gripping hand as a stable point around which the other hand may swing the club.
If the player’s club, gripping hand or forearm merely touches their body or clothing during the stroke, without being held against the body, there is no breach of this Rule. For the purposes of this Rule, “forearm” means the part of the arm below the elbow joint and includes the wrist.