Free relief means you get to pick your ball up and drop it in a better spot
without any penalty stroke — but only in specific situations. Cart paths,
sprinkler heads, and ground under repair all give you free relief. Knowing
exactly when and how to take it is one of the most useful things a beginner
can learn.
✅ NPCR is NOT the most convenient spot
The Nearest Point of Complete Relief is the closest spot that
fully clears the condition — not the nicest lie nearby. You then get
1 club-length from that point to choose where to actually
drop. Use that 1 club-length to find the cleanest possible lie.
Step 1
Confirm the condition entitles you to free relief
Free relief applies to: immovable obstructions (cart paths, drainage ditches, sprinkler heads, buildings, fences), abnormal course conditions (GUR, casual water, animal holes), and embedded ball in the general area. Penalty areas, bunkers, and rough do NOT automatically give free relief.
Step 2
Find the Nearest Point of Complete Relief (NPCR)
The NPCR is the single closest spot on the course where the condition no longer interferes with your ball, your stance, AND your area of intended swing — all three. It must not be nearer the hole than where the ball lies. Take a practice swing in position to test each candidate spot.
Step 3
Establish the relief area: 1 club-length from the NPCR
Use any club from your bag to measure 1 club-length from the NPCR. Mark that outer edge. Your ball must be dropped and come to rest anywhere inside this area, not closer to the hole than the NPCR. You are NOT required to drop exactly AT the NPCR — you just cannot go beyond 1 club-length from it.
Step 4
Drop the ball from knee height in the relief area
Under the 2019 Rules of Golf, you drop from knee height (changed from shoulder height). Let the ball fall freely. It must land in and come to rest inside the relief area. If it rolls outside the area, rolls into the original condition, or rolls more than 2 club-lengths from the drop spot, re-drop once. If it still rolls out after the second drop, place it where it landed.
Step 5
Confirm no penalty — free relief is exactly that
No penalty stroke — free relief means you get out of the condition and continue playing from the new spot without any change to your score. The only exception: a few local rules convert certain free-relief conditions to optional (read the scorecard or pro shop notice board before you play).
What counts as an immovable obstruction in golf?
Any man-made object that cannot reasonably be moved — cart paths, paved roads, drainage ditches, sprinkler heads, irrigation pipes, permanent buildings, fences, walls, and wooden bridges. If it is man-made and stuck in the ground, it is almost certainly an immovable obstruction.
What is the Nearest Point of Complete Relief?
The NPCR is the closest spot where the condition (the cart path, GUR puddle, sprinkler head, etc.) no longer interferes with your ball position, your stance, AND your intended swing. It must not be nearer the hole than the original ball position. There is only one NPCR for any given shot — it is not whichever spot is most convenient.
Is a sprinkler head in the fairway an immovable obstruction?
Yes. Sprinkler heads are permanently installed, man-made objects — they qualify as immovable obstructions under Rule 16.1. You get free relief if the ball lies on or near one, or if it would interfere with your stance or swing. This includes sprinkler heads near the green as well as in the fairway.
Do I always get free relief from a cart path?
In standard Rules of Golf, yes — cart paths are immovable obstructions and you are entitled to free relief. Some courses invoke local rules that require you to play the ball from the cart path if that is where it came to rest (rare, but it happens). Check the scorecard or ask the pro shop.
What is Ground Under Repair in golf?
Ground Under Repair (GUR) is an abnormal course condition — usually an area being repaired or maintained. The course marks GUR with white lines or white stakes. GUR also includes areas containing materials the greenkeeper left for collection (piles of cut grass, raked earth). You are NOT required to take relief from GUR; it is optional free relief.
Does free relief apply if a tree root above the ground is in my swing path?
No. Tree roots that are growing above the surface of the ground are part of the course — they are not an immovable obstruction. You must either play the ball as it lies, declare it unplayable (Rule 19, +1 stroke), or take a drop under penalty. Free relief only applies to man-made objects, not natural features like roots, rocks, or bushes.
How many chances do I get to re-drop if my ball rolls out of the relief area?
Two drops total. First drop: if the ball rolls outside the relief area, you drop again. Second drop: if it rolls out again, place the ball where it first struck the ground on the second drop. This three-step process (drop, re-drop, place) is the standard under the 2019 Rules.
Can I get free relief on the putting green from a sprinkler head that is near the green?
If the sprinkler head is on the putting green, yes. If the ball is on the green and your line of putt runs over a sprinkler head that is on the green, you may also move the ball. If the sprinkler head is off the green but near it, free relief applies only if the ball is also off the green and the head interferes with your stance or swing — NOT your line of putt.