Out of bounds (OB) is the area outside the course where play is not allowed. Under the Rules of Golf, a ball that ends up out of bounds costs you one penalty stroke, and you play again from where you hit the previous stroke. If your tee shot goes out of bounds, you are hitting your third shot from the tee. A provisional ball saves you the walk back when you think your ball might be out of bounds or lost, and since 2019 some courses also use Local Rule E-5, an alternative that lets you play on from near where the ball went out.
What out of bounds means: where the course ends
Boundaries are marked with stakes, fences or lines painted on the ground. In most countries, out of bounds is shown with white stakes.
- A ball is out of bounds only when all of it is outside the boundary. If any part of the ball is on or over the course side of the line, it is in bounds and you play it as it lies.
- When stakes are used, the boundary is the line joining the course-side points of the stakes at ground level.
- When a line is painted on the ground, the line itself is out of bounds. A ball resting on the line is out, even if part of it touches the line.
- What counts is where the ball comes to rest. A ball that crosses the boundary and bounces back onto the course is not out of bounds.
Another common misunderstanding: you may not pull out a boundary stake. White stakes are boundary objects, and removing or moving one to make room for your swing is a penalty. If a stake is in the way, you either play the ball as it lies or take unplayable ball relief for one penalty stroke.
The official procedure when your ball is out of bounds
Under the Rules, a ball out of bounds is dealt with under the stroke-and-distance penalty. That means you add one penalty stroke and play again from where you made the previous stroke.
| Stroke that went out of bounds | Where you play from | Your next stroke |
|---|---|---|
| Tee shot (stroke 1) | The same teeing area (you may tee the ball up) | Stroke 3 |
| Second shot from the fairway | Drop near where you played your second shot | Stroke 4 |
| Third shot from around the green | Drop near where you played your third shot | Stroke 5 |
A lost ball is treated the same way. Since the 2019 Rules changes, the time allowed to search for a ball has been cut from five minutes to three minutes. If you cannot find it within three minutes, it is lost, and you take one penalty stroke and play again from where you last played, just as for out of bounds. If it is known or virtually certain that the ball went into a penalty area such as a water hazard, you can use penalty area relief instead.
What a provisional ball is: how to announce it and when to play it
A provisional ball is a ball you play just in case, so you do not have to walk back if your original ball turns out to be out of bounds or lost. If the original ball is lost or out of bounds, the provisional ball becomes your ball in play and you carry on from there.
It is not a provisional unless you say so
Before you play it, you must tell someone in your group clearly that you are playing a provisional ball. Saying “I’ll hit another one” or “I’m reloading” is not enough. Without the word provisional, the new ball is treated as your ball in play under stroke and distance, and you can no longer use the original ball even if you find it. The safest phrase is “I’m going to play a provisional ball.” Use a ball with a different number or brand so it can be told apart from the original, and say which one you are using.
When to play it
From the tee, play the provisional after everyone in your group has hit their tee shots. If more than one player needs a provisional, follow the original order of play. When you need a provisional after your second shot or later, play it from the spot before you walk forward to look for the original. Walking ahead and then coming back wastes time.
If you find the original ball
- If you find your original ball on the course (not in a penalty area) within three minutes of starting to search, you must play the original ball and pick up the provisional. Strokes made with the provisional do not count.
- If the original is out of bounds, or not found within three minutes, the provisional becomes the ball in play. With a provisional played from the tee, your next stroke is your fourth.
- If you play the provisional from a spot nearer the hole than where you think the original is, the provisional becomes the ball in play at that moment and the original can no longer be used.
You may play a provisional only when the ball might be out of bounds or might be lost somewhere outside a penalty area. If it is clear that the ball went into a water hazard or other penalty area, use penalty area relief, not a provisional.
Forward tees for out of bounds: a local course arrangement
Some courses, particularly in Japan and Korea, have a special forward tee for players whose tee shot goes out of bounds. Instead of replaying from the tee, the player walks forward to this marked spot and plays their fourth stroke from there. In Japan it is known as “mae-yon” (forward four).
The idea is that replaying from the tee and hitting a good shot would leave you in roughly the same place in roughly the same number of strokes, so skipping the replay keeps a busy course moving. However, this is not part of the Rules of Golf; it is an arrangement made by individual courses. Keep the following in mind.
- It is not used in official competitions. If you play in a competition, expect to replay from the tee.
- Whether a course has these tees, and how they are used, differs from course to course. Check the course information or the local rules on the back of the scorecard before you start.
- Some courses also place special tees next to penalty areas. These too are course-specific arrangements.
Local Rule E-5, introduced in 2019
A similar idea was brought into the Rules themselves in 2019. The R&A and USGA created Model Local Rule E-5, “Alternative to Stroke and Distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds”.
- The penalty is two strokes. If your tee shot goes out of bounds, your next stroke is your fourth.
- The relief area runs between the point where the ball crossed the boundary (or where it is estimated to have come to rest, if lost) and the edge of the fairway on a line not nearer the hole. You drop in that area, and it extends up to two club-lengths outside the fairway edge.
- It can be used only when the course or the competition organizer has adopted it. If not, normal stroke and distance applies.
- It is not intended for professional or elite-level competitions.
- It cannot be used for a ball in a penalty area or for an unplayable ball. As a rule, it also cannot be used once you have played a provisional ball.
The difference from a forward tee is that you play from near where the ball went out, not from a fixed tee. For how to drop a ball correctly, see how to drop a ball.
Out of bounds at golf courses in Southeast Asia
At courses in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, special forward tees for out of bounds are not common. If your ball goes out of bounds, assume you will replay from the tee. On holes lined by jungle, thick trees or tall grass, balls are hard to find, so if you have any doubt, playing a provisional ball will save time.
- “I’m going to play a provisional.”
- “Is that out of bounds?”
- “Did you see where it went?”
At courses with caddies, your caddie usually watches the ball and will tell you whether it is out of bounds or whether you need a provisional. How boundaries are marked and whether E-5 is in use differs from course to course, so check the scorecard or ask your caddie. How informal playing-partner arrangements such as mulligans compare with the Rules is covered in our article on mulligans.