Rules question · Rule 17.1 · Expert
Ball lost in a penalty area or ground under repair: which relief?
Your ball cannot be found. All you know is that it is either in a red penalty area or in the ground under repair right next to it, and both are equally likely. What do you do?
Answer
You take penalty relief from the penalty area for one penalty stroke
When it is virtually certain that the ball is in one of the two areas and neither is more likely, you must proceed under Rule 17. Free relief is only available if the ground under repair is the more likely location. The ball is not lost, because it is certain to be in one of the two areas.
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