You’ve hit a pretty decent shot, but it has veered just a bit offline and come to rest in a spot so common at charity outings or club championships - right up against a temporary scoreboard, a concession stand, or a large hospitality tent. Part of you panics, thinking your hole is ruined, but then you hear a playing partner say, No problem, just take a gallery drop. This article is your full guide to understanding that phrase. We’ll break down what a gallery drop really is, explain precisely when you are allowed to take one, and walk you through the correct procedure step-by-step so you can play with confidence.
First things first, "gallery drop" is a casual slang term used by golfers. You won't find it officially defined in the Rules of Golf. What it actually refers to is the procedure for taking free relief from something the rules call a Temporary Immovable Obstruction (TIO).
A TIO is anything artificially put on the course for a competition that is not intended to be permanent and is not easily moved. Think of things directly related to hosting spectators and running a tournament:
The spirit of the rule is simple: you shouldn't be penalized because the course has been temporarily cluttered with equipment for an event. It's different from a standard immovable obstruction like a cart path or a sprinkler head, because the rules for a TIO are often a bit more generous, especially when it comes to your line of sight.
Knowing you can get relief is one thing, but knowing the specific conditions is what really empowers you on the course. You are entitled to free relief from a TIO if one of two main types of interference exists. A third condition must also be met: the stroke you were going to play must be reasonable.
This is the most common and straightforward reason for taking relief. Physical interference occurs if the TIO affects your:
If any of these three situations apply, you're entitled to relief.
Here’s where a TIO relief situation gets more interesting than your standard relief from a cart path. You are also entitled to relief if the TIO is on your direct line of play to the hole - but there's a catch. You cannot just claim line of sight relief from any single, isolated TIO.
The rule (Model Local Rule F-23) specifies you get line of sight relief *only* when your ball is in, on, or within one club-length of another part of the TIO on the course. In essence, they have to create a "corridor" of interference. A classic example is a large grandstand behind a green with a TV camera tower next to it. If your ball is right behind the TV tower, and the grandstand is also on your line to the flag, you get what is known as line of sight relief because of this compound interference.
This last condition is an important one. You can’t claim relief from a TIO if it’s clearly not affecting a reasonable shot. For example, if your ball is sitting deep inside a thorny, unplayable bush, you can’t claim interference from a nearby TV tower just because it’s on your line of play. From that bush, you have no shot, so the tower isn’t interfering with anything. In that scenario, you would first need to proceed under the unplayable ball rule.
Okay, you've assessed the situation and confirmed you are entitled to relief. Now what? Following the exact procedure is important to make sure you take relief correctly and without penalty. Getting this process right will save you strokes and make you look like a seasoned pro.
This is the foundation of the entire process. Your "Point of Complete Relief" is the nearest spot on the course, that is no nearer the hole, where you no longer have any interference from the TIO. That means the obstruction isn't touching your ball, getting in the way of your stance, or hindering your swing.
Let’s put it in practice. Your ball is two inches from the leg of a grandstand ("physical interference"). To find your nearest point of complete relief, you'd find the closest place you could set your ball down and be totally free of the grandstand for your stance and swing. This might be a few feet to the left or a few feet to the right. Whichever of those two spots is closest to your ball's original position is your reference point. It’s the nearest point, not the nicest point.
You can use a tee or another ball marker to identify this spot on the ground. This marks your reference point for the next step.
Once you've found your reference point, you now get a very generous relief area. From that reference point, you can measure one club-length away, no nearer the hole. This club-length creates a wedge-shaped or semi-circular area where you can drop your ball.
Use the longest club in your bag (that is not a putter) for this measurement - typically your driver. Place the head of the driver at your reference point and measure out one shaft length. You can use tees to mark the edges of your relief area. Your ball can be dropped anywhere inside this one club-length arc.
The relief area has to be in the same area of the course (e.g., general area, bunker) as your reference point. So, if your nearest point of complete relief is in the rough, your relief area must also be in the rough, not on a nearby putting green.
The final step is the drop itself. Stand tall and drop the ball from knee height, letting it fall straight down. It’s no longer shoulder height, a common mistake many golfers still make from the old rules.
Once your ball is at rest in the relief area, it’s in play. Pick up your markers and you are ready to hit your shot!
The TIO rule is a friendly one, but it's easy to misinterpret. Watch out for these common errors:
Navigating the rules of golf adds a layer of confidence to your game, and the "gallery drop" is a perfect example. What seems complex is actually a straightforward process of taking free relief from a Temporary Immovable Obstruction when it interferes with your lie, stance, swing, or (in specific cases) your line of play. By finding your nearest point of complete relief and taking your valid one club-length drop, you can turn a moment of potential bad luck into a simple, penalty-free opportunity.
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