Hit The Wrong Golf Green? This Is Your Only Option

The first hole and the 10 hole at my home golf course run parallel to each other. Not that it would be a good shot if your approach on 10 landed on the first green but it’s theoretically possible. Many golf courses have parallel holes or compact layouts. Landing your ball on the wrong green may happen to you. Here’s what to do if you hit the wrong green.

What to do if your golf ball is on the wrong green?

Under Rule 13.1f, if your ball comes to rest on a wrong green or if the wrong green interferes with your stance or swing, you must take free relief. While your golf ball may have the perfect lie on this green, you are still required to take relief. Playing from the wrong green is not allowed.

What counts as interference?

Relief is required when:

• Your ball is physically on the wrong green.
• The wrong green interferes with your stance or area of intended swing.

You are not entitled to relief just because the green is near your line of play. You also can’t take relief just because you’d prefer to avoid a green. If interference exists only because you choose a club, stance or direction of play that is unreasonable under the circumstances, you can’t take relief.

Essentially, you can’t exploit the wrong green to your advantage, as it would be unfair.

When a ball lies on a wrong green or there is proper interference from a wrong green, the player must take free relief and find the nearest point of complete relief, without exception.

In this diagram from the R&A (for a right-handed player), Ball A is on the wrong green. The nearest point of complete relief is point P1, located in the same area of the course as the original ball (the general area).

How to take relief from a wrong green

If you find yourself in this situation, these are the steps to take:

1. Find the nearest point of complete relief where the ball, your stance and your swing no longer touch the wrong green.
2. Mark that spot and identify a one club-length relief area. This must be no closer to the hole and it must be in the same area of the course (usually the general area).
3. Drop the ball from knee height so it lands in and stays within the relief area.

Should your ball roll outside the relief area, drop it again. If it rolls out a second time, place it where it first hit the ground on the second drop.

What if I want to play the shot?

Even if it’s tempting, you can’t play the ball as it lies if it’s on the wrong green. There’s no exception.