What happens if your ball lands in another fairway?

The situation

Your shot slices or hooks severely and your ball ends up on an adjacent fairway belonging to a different hole. You can see it clearly — it's just on the wrong piece of grass.

The rule

Under Rule 9.1a, the ball must be played as it lies. There is no free relief simply because your ball is on the wrong fairway. Adjacent fairways are still part of the course, and landing on one doesn't give you any special options. You play the ball from wherever it finished. If an immovable obstruction (cart path, sprinkler) on that fairway interferes with your stance or swing, you may still take free relief under Rule 16.1 — but the fairway itself is never a reason for relief.

Real example

Your drive on a dogleg right ends up in the middle of the parallel hole's fairway 50 yards to the right. No penalty, no relief. Walk over, make sure you have a clear line of play, and play your second shot from there. Be aware of players on that hole who may be in your way.

What to do on the course

• Play the ball as it lies from the other fairway
• Check that players on that hole are not in danger before swinging
• If you're not sure the ball is in bounds (white stakes near the adjacent hole), check before playing
• You can still take relief from any obstructions on the adjacent fairway — being on the wrong hole doesn't remove your normal rights

Penalty

No penalty. Play the ball from where it landed.