[Kim Haneul's FunFun Golf]⑥ Nearest Point

How to Get Relief from Cart Path No Penalty, One Club Length Drop from Nearest Point
If Drop Location Is Poor, Shot from Cart Path Allowed; Club Replacement or Repair Possible if Damaged

Today’s topic is how to take relief from a cart path.

It can be frustrating when your ball lands on a cart path. Don’t panic; just follow the basic rules. During pro-am events, some amateur golfers tend to drop the ball carelessly. They pick up the ball and throw it toward the fairway before hitting. However, when the ball is on a cart path, you must drop it properly according to the rules before playing. If the ball on the cart path is damaged, it can be replaced.

A cart path is an immovable artificial obstruction. If your ball comes to rest on the cart path, you can take relief without penalty. Even if the ball is not on the cart path, if it interferes with your stance or swing, you are entitled to relief. First, identify the nearest point of relief off the cart path, then drop the ball within one club length from that point and play. Most players choose their longest club, usually a driver, to take relief.

The most important part when dropping is determining the nearest point of relief. The nearest point of relief is the closest spot to where the ball originally lay, not nearer the hole, and where the obstruction is avoided. It refers to the end of the club when addressing the ball with the club you intend to use for the next shot, not just one club length from the edge of the cart path. This is why, even if the ball is slightly off-center on the cart path, you may drop on the opposite side depending on the situation. Remember, when taking relief without penalty, you must drop within one club length from the nearest point of relief. The rules are there to help players. Unless you are playing a strict rules game, it is important to use them wisely.

On golf broadcasts, you sometimes see players hitting directly from the cart path. This usually happens when the drop zones on either side are in worse conditions, such as deep rough or slopes. Players risk damaging their clubs but choose to play from the cart path. For amateur golfers, shots from the cart path are difficult. There is a high risk of injury and club damage. If your club is damaged, you may replace or repair it as long as it happened during a normal swing and does not delay the progress of the game.

Sportainer and 14-time winner on the Korean-Japanese Tour