Yes — a cart path is an immovable obstruction, so when it interferes with your stance or swing you get free relief under Rule 16.1 with no penalty. Drop within one club-length of the nearest point of complete relief, no nearer the hole.
When you qualify for free relief
You only get relief when the cart path interferes with your stance or the area of your intended swing. If the path is merely in your line of play, you don't get a drop — you play it as it lies.
Cart path relief checklist
- The path interferes with your stance (a foot on or near it)
- Or the path is in your intended swing path
- You choose the nearest point of complete relief
- That point is not nearer the hole
How to take the drop, step by step
- Confirm interference. Check that the path affects your stance or swing, not just your line.
- Find the nearest point of complete relief. This is the spot where the path no longer interferes, closest to where your ball lies — and it must not be nearer the hole.
- Mark that reference point and drop within one club-length of it, no nearer the hole.
- Let it roll. The ball may roll up to two club-lengths from where it first lands. If it rolls into a bad spot or back onto the path, you may re-drop.
The most common cart path mistakes
| Mistake | The rule |
|---|---|
| Dropping nearer the hole than reference point | Relief must be no nearer the hole (Rule 16.1b) |
| Dropping more than one club-length away | Max one club-length from the reference point |
| Moving the ball when the path only affects your line | No free relief if stance and swing are clear |
| Taking relief from a path inside a penalty area | Penalty-area relief rules apply instead |
Special situations
Ball in a penalty area: If your ball is in a penalty area and the cart path is also inside it, you don't get free relief from the path — you treat it under the penalty area rules (Rule 17).
Ball embedded: If your ball is embedded in its own pitch mark in the general area, you may get free relief under Rule 16.3, separate from any cart path question.
Quick answers
Is cart path relief free? Yes. Under Rule 16.1, free relief from a cart path (an immovable obstruction) is allowed with no penalty when the path interferes with your stance or swing.
Can you move the ball off a cart path if it's not in your swing path? No. The path must interfere with your stance or the area of your intended swing. If it only affects your line, you get no free relief.
How far do you drop from a cart path? Within one club-length of the nearest point of complete relief, no nearer the hole. The ball may roll up to two club-lengths after the drop.
Do you get relief from the cart path if your ball is in a penalty area? No. If your ball is in a penalty area (like a pond or lateral hazard) and the cart path is in that penalty area, you do not get free relief from the path — relief rules for the penalty area apply.