Back-on-the-Line relief is another widely available option for penalty relief but can be confusing because there are multiple steps and references in order to follow the procedure correctly.
To take back-on-the-line relief you only need to follow three quick steps:
- Determine the reference line, which always goes back from the hole through a specific point, which will change depending on the Rule you are using.
- Drop on the line. If you do not drop on the line you have dropped in a wrong way and will be in a wrong place.
- The dropped ball must stay within one club-length from where the ball hit the ground on the line.
You are allowed to use back-on-the line relief for a number of different situations, the most common of which would be penalty area relief or unplayable relief.
If you happen to choose a spot on the line that has multiple areas of the course within one club-length, your ball has to stay in the same area of the course that the ball first touches on the line after the drop.
