Rules Explained: When Your Nearest Point of Relief Falls Out of Bounds
When the Nearest Point of Relief Is Out of Bounds
Under Rule 16.1b, players are entitled to free relief from cart paths. But what happens when the nearest point of full relief falls outside the course boundary?
The answer is straightforward: you must find the next nearest point that is both on the course (in the general area) and no closer to the hole, and from there take a drop within one club-length. There is no requirement to stay on the same side of the cart path where the ball originally came to rest — if the nearest valid relief point is on the opposite side, that is exactly where the rules direct you to go.
Does OB Extend Beyond the Last Stake?
Course-internal OB markers are common where fairways run parallel, but players often wonder: does the boundary continue past the final stake?
As a general principle, course boundaries do not simply stop — they either connect to another marking or extend indefinitely. When the local rule does not specify, the course pro acting as the de facto committee makes the call. A "double-stake" marking (two stakes placed within a yard of each other) typically signals that the line extends to infinity from that point.
Strokeslab Takeaway
These scenarios highlight how course-specific OB configurations can create confusing situations for everyday golfers. Knowing that Rule 16.1b always points you to the nearest on-course relief point — regardless of which side of an obstruction you land on — removes much of the guesswork.
Cart path relief may feel routine, but the intersection with OB boundaries exposes a gap in many golfers' rules knowledge. Internalizing Rule 16.1b's core principle — find the nearest on-course point of full relief — is the clearest way to stay penalty-free in these tricky situations.