How to take lateral relief from a red penalty area

Yes, you can take lateral relief from a red penalty area for one penalty stroke. Drop your ball within two club-lengths of where it last crossed the edge of the penalty area, no closer to the hole (Rule 17.1d(3)).

What lateral relief actually means

When your ball ends up in a red penalty area — marked with red stakes or lines — you have an extra option that yellow penalty areas don't give you. You can drop a ball outside the penalty area within two club-lengths of where your ball last crossed the edge. That reference point is the spot on the line where the ball went in, not where it came to rest. The relief area is a two-club-length radius from that point, and it can be in any area of the course except the same penalty area.

The one-stroke penalty and your drop

This relief costs you one penalty stroke, same as the other penalty area options. You can use your original ball or another ball. When you drop, the ball must first hit the ground in the relief area and stay there. If it rolls out, you re-drop once; if it rolls out again, you place it where it first struck the ground on the second drop. The relief area must not be nearer the hole than your reference point, but it can be closer to the hole than where the ball actually lay inside the penalty area.

Measuring across the penalty area is allowed

Here's the part that surprises people: when you're measuring those two club-lengths for lateral relief, you can measure across the penalty area itself. The Rules explicitly allow this (Interpretation 17.1d(3)/1). So if the penalty area is narrow, your two club-lengths might stretch across the water or hazard to the far side, giving you a better angle or lie. Just remember the relief area still can't include any part of that same penalty area.

Exceptions that change the answer

• Your ball is in a no-play zone inside the penalty area → You must take relief — you cannot play the ball as it lies. Use the same lateral relief procedure but with no penalty if the no-play zone is an abnormal course condition, or with one penalty stroke if it's a penalty area no-play zone (Rule 17.1e).
• It's not known or virtually certain the ball is in the penalty area → You cannot use penalty area relief. If the ball is lost and you're not virtually certain it's in the penalty area, you must take stroke-and-distance relief under Rule 18.2 (back to where you hit from, one penalty stroke).

Frequently asked questions

Can I take lateral relief from a yellow penalty area?

No. Lateral relief (two club-lengths from where the ball crossed) is only available for red penalty areas. Yellow penalty areas only give you stroke-and-distance or back-on-the-line relief.

Where exactly do I measure the two club-lengths from?

From the estimated point where your ball last crossed the edge of the red penalty area. That's your reference point — measure two club-lengths from there in any direction, not nearer the hole.

Can my relief area be in a bunker or on the green?

Yes. The relief area can be in any area of the course except the same penalty area. It can be in a bunker, on the putting green, in the general area — anywhere those two club-lengths reach.

What if the penalty area is so narrow that two club-lengths reaches the other side?

That's fine. You're allowed to measure across the penalty area when taking lateral relief. Your relief area can extend to the far side as long as it doesn't include any part of that same penalty area.

Do I have to find my ball to take lateral relief?

No. If it's known or virtually certain your ball is in the red penalty area (even if not found), you can take lateral relief with a new ball. But if it's not virtually certain, the ball is lost and you must go back to the previous spot under stroke-and-distance.