What do you do if your ball is stuck up in a tree?
By The Fairway Labs TeamReviewed
General play
Penalty: One stroke
What do you do if your ball is stuck up in a tree?
PenaltyOne stroke· under Rule 19.2
What to do
- 1Declare the ball unplayable — you don’t need to retrieve or even see it clearly.
- 2Estimate the spot directly beneath the ball if you can’t measure exactly.
- 3Choose stroke-and-distance, back-on-the-line, or lateral relief (two club-lengths), each for one penalty stroke.
- 4Drop in your chosen relief area and play on.
Based on the modern Rules of Golf (Rule 19.2), as published by the USGA and The R&A and effective from the 2019 revision. Local rules can modify some situations — check the scorecard or with the committee when in doubt.
Related rulings
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