Nothing sinks the heart of a golfer quite like watching a great tee shot sail beautifully towards its destination, only to disappear into the trees, never to be seen again. The old stroke-and-distance rule meant a walk of shame back to the tee to hit your third shot, a tedious process that kills momentum and slows down the entire course. Fortunately, the governing bodies of golf introduced an alternative. This article breaks down everything you need to know about the new optional rule for out of bounds and lost balls, covering exactly how it works, when to use it, and how to apply it correctly to save time and frustration.
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First, a Quick Reminder of the Traditional "Stroke-and-Distance" Rule
Before we get into the new alternative, let’s quickly refresh ourselves on the original, and still primary, rule for a lost ball or a ball hit out of bounds (O.B.). Under the official Rules of Golf, when your ball is lost or comes to rest out of bounds, you must take a penalty of stroke and distance.
You must return to the spot where you made your previous stroke and play another ball.
So, if your tee shot goes O.B., that’s your first stroke (1). You take your penalty stroke (now at 2 strokes). You go back to the tee box and hit again. That next swing is now your third stroke (3) on the hole. This process isn't just punishing on the scorecard, it's a major pace-of-play killer. The dreaded "reload" can add 5-10 minutes to a hole while your group waits and you trudge back to the tee or fairway to try again. This frustration and delay are precisely what the new rule aims to fix for recreational golf.
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Introducing the "New" Alternative: Model Local Rule E-5
In 2019, the USGA and R&A introduced a new Model Local Rule E-5 as an alternative to the traditional stroke-and-distance penalty. The key term here is "Local Rule." This is not a default, universal rule of golf. For it to be in effect, the committee or club managing the course you're playing must officially adopt it.
The entire purpose of this rule is to improve pace of play for recreational rounds. It offers a simpler, faster way to proceed after losing a ball or hitting one out of bounds. Instead of walking back to the previous spot, it allows you to take a drop near where the ball was lost or went out of bounds, but for a two-stroke penalty.
This rule essentially provides the same scoring outcome as stroke-and-distance but keeps you moving forward, saving an immense amount of time and reducing frustration.
How to Use the Local Rule: A Step-by-Step Guide
Applying this rule sounds more complicated than it is. Once you understand the process, it becomes second nature. Let's walk through it step-by-step, using a common example: you’ve just hit your tee shot into the deep woods to the right of the fairway.
Step 1: Find Two Key Reference Points
Before you can drop, you need to establish where you are allowed to drop. This is based on two reference points:
Ball Reference Point: First, you need to estimate the spot where your ball either went out of bounds or is likely lost. For an O.B. shot, this is the point where the ball crossed the boundary line. For a lost ball, it’s your best guess as to its final location. Let's say it's 20 yards deep in the woods.
Fairway Reference Point: From that Ball Reference Point, come directly out and find the nearest edge of the fairway. This spot on the very edge of the grass cut as fairway is your "Fairway Reference Point." It cannot be any closer to the hole.
Think of it as drawing a straight line from your lost ball's location, perpendicular to the target line, until you reach the edge of the fairway.
Step 2: Establish Your Relief Area for the Drop
Once you have your Fairway Reference Point, you can define your "Relief Area." This is the large area where you are permitted to drop your ball. Your relief area stretches from your Fairway Reference Point and extends two club-lengths outward towards the edge of the course.
Here's how to picture it:
Your relief area begins at the Fairway Reference Point.
You can measure two club-lengths from there back towards where you came from (i.e., not closer to the hole). You can use any club in your bag for this measurement, so grab your driver for maximum advantage.
This creates a large, semicircle-shaped area bounded by:
The line of your Ball Reference Point (no closer to the hole).
The nearest point of the course edge (e.g., the O.B. line or where the trees begin).
As far into play as two club-lengths from the Fairway Reference Point.
Basically, you find the edge of the fairway parallel to where you think your ball went out or was lost, and then you have a massive area from the rough all the way to two club-lengths onto the fairway to drop your ball.
Step 3: Drop Your Ball and Add Two Strokes
Now, perform the drop from knee height into your relief area. Once you play this ball, you are lying four.
“Wait, four?” you might ask. “Isn't that worse?”
It's not. It’s what you would be hitting if you did it the old-fashioned way. Let’s compare:
Traditional Stroke-and-Distance:
Shot 1: Tee shot goes O.B.
Penalty Stroke: That's 2.
Shot 3: You re-tee and hit a good one into the fairway.
Your very next shot from the fairway is your fourth (4th) stroke.
Local Rule E-5:
Shot 1: Tee shot goes O.B.
Penalty: You take a two-stroke penalty. You're now at 3.
You walk up, drop on the edge of the fairway.
Your very next shot from that spot is your fourth (4th) stroke.
As you can see, the score is identical. The only difference is that instead of being back on the tee, you're 240 yards down the hole, ready to play on, and your buddies aren’t falling asleep waiting for you.
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This is where golfers often get confused. The rule is great, but it has very specific applications. Knowing when it's off-limits is just as important as knowing how to use it.
You CAN Use Local Rule E-5 When:
Your ball is lost outside of a penalty area.
Your ball is hit out of bounds (O.B.).
MOST IMPORTANTLY: The course committee has put this Local Rule into effect. Always check the scorecard, the first tee sign, or the club's website for their local rules before playing a competitive round.
In a friendly, casual round, most golfers will agree to use it to keep things moving, even if the course hasn't officially adopted it. Just make sure your group is on the same page.
You ABSOLUTELY CANNOT Use Local Rule E-5 When:
You have hit aprovisional ball. If you fear your shot might be lost or O.B., and you announce and play a provisional ball from the original spot, you are committed to that ball. You cannot abandon your provisional to use the E-5 drop. You've already made your choice.
Your ball is unplayable. If you find your ball but it's in a location you can't play it from (like up against a tree), you must use the unplayable ball relief options (Rule 19), which involve a one-stroke penalty.
Your ball is in apenalty area. If your ball is in a red or yellow staked area, you must proceed under the penalty area rules (Rule 17), which again, involve a one-stroke penalty with different relief options.
You are playing in a competition that does not use this Local Rule. For high-level amateur, college, or professional events, this rule is generally not in effect. In that case, you must use the traditional stroke-and-distance procedure. Always know the conditions of competition!
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At its heart, this rule is a fantastic acknowledgment by golf's governing bodies that the demands of the pro tour don't always meet the needs of a Saturday morning foursome. No one enjoys five-and-a-half-hour rounds, and the stop-and-start nature of the classic O.B. penalty is a primary culprit. By providing an alternative that mirrors the scoring outcome but eliminates the wasted time, Local Rule E-5 makes the game more enjoyable and accessible.
By keeping you and your group moving forward, you maintain a better rhythm in your game. You avoid the mental and physical disruption of going backwards, allowing you to shake off a bad shot and focus on recovering to save your hole rather than dwelling on the "walk of shame." It makes golf faster, less frustrating, and simply more fun for the average player. For more tips on maintaining a good pace, read our article on how to avoid slow play in golf.
Final Thoughts
Model Local Rule E-5 is one of the best recent additions to golf for the everyday player, streamlining play and making a bad shot a little less punishing on your time. Now you understand how to identify your drop area, take the correct two-stroke penalty, and recognize when the rule applies - and when it doesn't.
Of course, trying to remember the specifics of dropping, reference points, and penalties in the heat of the moment can be challenging. We built Caddie AI to act as that instant, on-course expert for exactly these situations. Instead of fumbling through a rule book or guessing, you can get a quick, accurate answer about any rule, including this one, so you can play with complete confidence, make the right call, and keep your round moving smoothly.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
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