Embedded ball relief — free, when it applies
You get free relief when your ball is embedded in its own pitch mark in the general area under Rule 16.3. Drop within one club-length of the reference point, no nearer the hole.
Do you get relief from an embedded ball?
Yes — you get free relief when your ball is embedded in its own pitch mark in the general area, under Rule 16.3. The relief is within one club-length of the reference point (right behind the ball), no nearer the hole.
This rule changed in 2019 to allow relief anywhere in the general area, not just "closely mown areas" like the fairway. Now it applies in the rough, fringe, or anywhere except sand, penalty areas, and divots where the ball isn't actually embedded.
When does embedded ball relief apply?
| Situation | Relief? | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Ball embedded in its own pitch mark in fairway or rough | Yes — free relief | Rule 16.3 |
| Ball sitting in a divot (not embedded) | No free relief | Play it or declare unplayable (Rule 19, one stroke) |
| Ball embedded in sand (bunker) | No free relief | Play it or use bunker relief options |
| Ball embedded in a penalty area | No free relief | Use penalty area relief (Rule 17) |
The key: the ball must be embedded — sitting in its own pitch mark with part of it below the surface. Just sitting in a divot doesn't count.
Does embedded ball relief apply in the rough?
Yes. Since the 2019 rules change, embedded ball relief applies anywhere in the general area — fairway, rough, or fringe. The old rule limited it to "closely mown areas," but that's gone.
If your ball is plugged in the rough after a heavy shot, you get the same free relief as if it were in the fairway.
Do you get relief from someone else's pitch mark?
The 2026 Model Local Rule
Under the standard Rules of Golf, you only get relief from your own pitch mark. But in 2026, the USGA introduced a Model Local Rule that allows relief from other players' pitch marks — the "Shane Lowry rule" after his controversy at the 2025 Open.
Check the local rules before your round. If the course has adopted this model local rule, you can take relief from any pitch mark, not just your own. If not, you're stuck with the standard rule: your pitch mark only.
The drop procedure, step by step
- Confirm the ball is embedded. It must be in its own pitch mark with part of it below the surface level.
- Mark the reference point. This is the spot right behind the ball where it's embedded.
- Drop within one club-length of the reference point, no nearer the hole.
- Let it come to rest in the relief area. If it rolls out, re-drop once. If it rolls out again, place it where it first touched the ground on the second drop.
Embedded ball vs. unplayable lie
If your ball is embedded in its own pitch mark, use Rule 16.3 — free relief. If it's just in a bad spot (divot, roots, etc.) but not embedded, declare it unplayable under Rule 19 — one penalty stroke.
| Situation | Rule | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Ball embedded in own pitch mark | Rule 16.3 | Free relief |
| Ball in divot (not embedded) | Rule 19 | One penalty stroke |
| Ball in bad lie (roots, rocks, etc.) | Rule 19 | One penalty stroke |
Keep this in your bag
Embedded ball relief is one of the ten most-missed calls in golf. Our Save Strokes reference has the full set of penalty and relief situations organized for quick mid-round lookups — plus a free version in the Drop Rules Cheat Sheet.
Related: unplayable lies and cart path relief.
Get Save Strokes → Free cheat sheet