Ever found yourself perfectly positioned for a shot to the green, only to see a giant tournament sign or a catering tent standing directly in your path? It’s a frustrating moment, but this is exactly when the 'line of sight relief' rule can become your best friend. This article will guide you through exactly what line of sight relief is, when you can take it, and the step-by-step process for getting a free drop so you can play your intended shot without a temporary structure getting in the way.
Line of sight relief is a specific rule that allows you to take a free drop when a Temporary Immovable Obstruction (TIO) intervenes on your line of play. Think of it as a get-out-of-jail-free card when something that isn't supposed to be a permanent part of the golf course - like a grandstand, scoreboard, television tower, or a sponsor tent - is blocking your view or the path of your shot to the hole.
The operative words here are temporary and immovable. A TIO is an artificial object that has been placed on the course for a competition and is not meant to be there permanently. It's too big or heavy to be moved easily, hence "immovable." This is the only situation in golf where you are granted relief simply because something is blocking your line of sight to the flagstick.
Under the Rules of Golf, this is covered primarily by Model Local Rule F-23, which committees enact for tournaments. The core principle falls under a similar logic as Rule 16.1 (Abnormal Course Conditions), but it specifically extends relief to include your line of play for these temporary structures only.
This is where most golfers get confused. Knowing the difference between a Temporary Immovable Obstruction (TIO) and a standard Immovable Obstruction (IIO) is everything. Getting this wrong can lead to playing from the wrong place and potential penalty strokes.
You are entitled to relief for your stance, swing, AND line of sight only from a TIO.
Remember, a TIO is temporary. Classic examples include:
For any permanent object on the course, you only get relief if it physically interferes with your stance or the area of your intended swing. Your line of play does not matter. These are often called Immovable Obstructions (IIOs) or are simply part of the course.
Common examples include:
Think of it like this: The rules give you a break from things that aren't supposed to be there (TIOs), but they expect you to navigate the course as it was designed, including its permanent challenges (trees, paths, etc.).
Let's say you're 160 yards out and a large sponsor scoreboard is directly between your ball and the green. You’ve confirmed it's a TIO. Here’s exactly what to do next to take relief correctly and confidently.
First, be certain the TIO interferes with your line of play for a reasonable stroke. You can't claim you were planning a wild, 30-yard slicing shot that would bring the TIO into play just to get a better lie. The rule applies to the type of stroke a player would typically make in that situation. If a straight shot at the flag is blocked, that’s clearly reasonable.
This is the most important step. Your "Nearest Point of Complete Relief" (NPCR) is a specific spot on the course, not just a general area. It is the closest spot to your ball's original position that meets three conditions:
To find this spot, imagine a line from the flagstick, through your ball, and extending backward. Now, visualize moving your ball just far enough to the side (left or right) so that you have a clear, unobstructed view and swing. The very first point where this happens is your reference point. You may have a point on the left and a point on the right. Your NPCR is the one that is closest to where your ball currently lies. It doesn't matter if the other spot has a better lie or is in the fairway - you must use the nearest one.
Example: Your ball is in the left rough behind a TV tower. The first spot where you have a clear view might be a few feet to the right, still in the rough. There might also be a second spot much further to the left, which happens to be in the fairway. Even though the fairway spot is better, your NPCR is the one a few feet to the right in the rough, because it's closer to your ball's original position.
Once you've identified your Nearest Point of Complete Relief, you don't drop on that exact spot. Instead, that spot becomes the reference point for your relief area. From there, you are allowed to drop your ball anywhere within a one club-length area.
This gives you a bit of wiggle room to find a decent spot to drop within that one club-length arc.
With your relief area established, it's time to drop. Here are the modern dropping rules:
If the ball rolls outside the relief area, nearer the hole, or into a different area of the course (e.g., from the rough into a bunker), you re-drop. If it happens a second time, you place the ball on the spot where it first hit the ground on the re-drop. Once your ball is at rest in the relief area, it’s in play!
Understanding the theory is great, but let's look at how this plays out on the course and how to avoid easy mess-ups.
This is the most common error. A player is behind a large oak tree and says, "I can't see the flag, so I get line of sight relief." This is incorrect. A tree is a natural object. You get zero relief, no matter how much it blocks your view. You have to punch out, shape a shot around it, or go over it. It's part of the game's strategy.
Let's say your nearest point of relief is in thick rough, but if you went just a little farther, you’d be in the fairway. Tough luck. The rule is clear: it’s the nearest point of relief, not the nicest. Playing from a spot other than your correctly determined relief area is playing from a wrong place and will result in a penalty (usually two strokes in stroke play).
You might move your ball back enough a get a clear line of sight, but then notice your backswing will still hit the TIO's support leg. This is not "complete relief." You must find the nearest point where your stance, swing, AND line of sight are all completely clear of the obstruction.
Mastering this rule can save you from a lot of frustration and potentially strokes. It feels complex at first, but once you remember it’s only for temporary structures, the process becomes much more straightforward. Take a moment, walk through the steps, and soon you'll be navigating it like a tour pro.
Understanding line of sight relief centers on one key distinction: it applies exclusively to temporary, immovable obstructions, not to permanent course features like trees or paths. By following the procedure to find your nearest point of complete relief, you can confidently take the free drop you’re entitled to and turn a frustrating situation into a fair opportunity.
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