Ball in Animal Hole or Abnormal Course Condition
What is an abnormal course condition?
An abnormal course condition is any of these four situations on the course:
- Animal holes: burrows or holes made by any animal except worms or insects.
- Ground under repair (GUR): areas marked by the committee, usually with blue stakes or white paint lines.
- Temporary water: accumulation of water visible before or after taking a stance, not in a penalty area. Casual water is the most common example after heavy rain.
- Immovable obstructions: artificial objects fixed to the course (sprinkler heads, maintenance roads, drainage covers, cart paths).
If your ball is in any of these conditions, or if the condition interferes with your stance or intended swing area, you are entitled to free relief (no penalty stroke).
How to take free relief — step by step
- Find the nearest point of complete relief: the closest point to your ball where the condition no longer interferes with your stance, swing, or lie. It must be in the same area of the course (e.g., if your ball is in the general area, your relief point must also be in the general area, not the putting green).
- Determine the relief area: one club length from the nearest point of complete relief, no nearer the hole.
- Drop from knee height within that relief area.
- The ball must come to rest within the area. If it rolls outside, drop again.
Important: relief must be complete. You cannot partially escape the condition — if your stance is still affected after dropping, you must find a different nearest point of complete relief.
Common mistakes
Mistake 1: Taking relief in a worse position to get a better lie The nearest point of complete relief is the geometrically closest point, not the best lie. If the closest point is in the rough and you prefer the fairway, you still must use the closest point.
Mistake 2: Claiming relief when only the ball is in the condition You are entitled to relief if the condition affects your ball, your stance, or your intended swing area. Not just because the condition is nearby.
Mistake 3: Dropping in a penalty area to escape the condition If your nearest point of complete relief falls inside a penalty area, you cannot use it — find the next nearest point outside the penalty area.
Temporary water (casual water)
Casual water is any temporary accumulation of water that is visible before or after you take your stance. After heavy rain, this is one of the most common situations on a course.
You get free relief even if the water only appears when you put your weight on your stance — you don't need to see it before taking position.
Ground under repair (GUR)
Areas marked GUR are off-limits for play. If your ball lands in GUR, you must take relief (it's not optional like most free relief situations — playing from GUR is generally not allowed unless the local rules specifically permit it).
Penalty
No stroke penalty for taking free relief from abnormal course conditions. This is entirely free of charge.
Tactical advice
Don't rush the process. Taking a few extra seconds to find the true nearest point of complete relief often reveals a better drop position than the obvious one. Walk around the condition with your longest club extended to properly measure the relief area — players often underestimate how much space they have.
Frequently asked questions
Does a sprinkler head count as an abnormal condition? Yes — sprinkler heads are immovable obstructions, so you get free relief if your ball is on one or if it interferes with your stance or swing.
What if the nearest point of complete relief is in the rough? You must use it. You cannot choose a point in the fairway just because it's more convenient. However, if the condition is a cart path and your nearest point is in the rough, that's where you drop.
Can I take relief from casual water on the putting green? Yes. On the green, you may place (not drop) the ball at the nearest point of complete relief on the green, or off the green if that's the nearest point.