Golf / Protocols & guidance
Key definitions
The R&A / USGA · 2023In short
Understand club-length, relief areas and the standard of certainty.
Measuring relief
A club-length uses the longest club carried for the round, excluding the putter. The nearest point of complete relief removes interference from the particular condition; it is not the nicest available lie. The applicable rule determines the permitted area and its limits.
Evidence and the relief area
Known or virtually certain requires conclusive evidence or at least 95% likelihood from reasonably available information. For back-on-the-line relief, drop on the line: the first ground contact creates the relief area. Its size and permitted course areas remain subject to the relief rule.
Independent explanations and translations, not official federation publications. Based on the supplied R&A and USGA Rules of Golf, effective January 2023. These are condensed explanations of that edition, including Rule 25 for players with disabilities. Local Rules and later clarifications are not automatically included. References use physical PDF pages, 2 above printed page numbers.
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