Ground Under Repair (GUR) in Golf

What is ground under repair (GUR)?

Ground under repair (GUR) is any part of the course being repaired or designated as temporarily off-limits by the course committee. It is normally identified by:

• White paint markings on the ground (painted line or area)
• Signs or notices on the course indicating "GUR" or "Ground Under Repair"
• Material piled for removal (sand, soil, cut branches), even if unmarked, if it's clear the course will remove it

Tree bark chips, natural roots, and terrain divisions caused by normal use are NOT GUR unless specifically marked as such.

When are you entitled to relief?

You are entitled to free relief when ground under repair interferes with:

• Your ball (it rests inside or on the GUR area)
• Your stance (your feet would be inside the GUR for the stroke)
• Your swing area (the club would pass through the GUR during the swing)

If the GUR is only on your line of play without affecting stance or swing, you are not entitled to relief off the green (same as casual water and immovable obstructions).

Is relief mandatory?

Not always. Taking relief from GUR is generally optional: you can choose to play the ball as it lies from within the GUR if you prefer (at the risk of a poor stance or lie).

Exception: if the course committee has designated the GUR as a mandatory exclusion zone (play must be avoided), then you are required to take relief. This restriction is usually indicated in the course's local conditions sheet.

How to take relief

1. Find the Nearest Point of Complete Relief (NPCR): the closest point where there is no longer any GUR interference, not nearer the hole, in the same playing area.

2. Drop area: 1 club length from that point.

3. Drop from knee height within the area.

4. If the ball rolls outside, drop again.

GUR in a bunker

If your ball is in GUR inside a bunker:

1. Relief within the bunker (no penalty): the NPCR within the bunker.
2. Relief outside the bunker (1-stroke penalty): on a line going back from the hole through the ball position, outside the bunker.

Common cases

Exposed tree roots marked as GUR: entitled to relief if they interfere with stance or swing.

Seeding area or new planting marked with white paint: typical GUR. Entitled to relief even if the ground looks dry and normal.

Unmarked ant hill or mole run: may qualify as abnormal course conditions if the course has designated it, but if there are no markings and it's not a protected animal hole, it's not automatically GUR.

Penalty

None for taking correct relief. If you play from GUR marked as mandatory without taking relief: 2 strokes in strokeplay / loss of hole in matchplay.

Tactical advice

When the GUR entitles you to drop but the NPCR leaves you in a similar or worse position, it's sometimes better to play from the GUR directly. Evaluate the lie and position: a ball on disturbed earth with a good lie can be preferable to a drop in thick rough.