How to Find the Nearest Point of Relief on a Golf Course

Finding the "nearest point of relief" is something that is referenced at many different places in the Rules of Golf. But do you know what it really means, and what the proper procedure is for determining nearest point of relief? Do you know exactly how to determine where to drop, and how to take that drop?

Most golfers probably believe that, yes, they know the answers to those questions. And many of you do. But the concept of "nearest point of relief" is also one of the most commonly misunderstood in the rules.

So we point you to several videos that (especially if you watch each one in succession) will make all the permutations, all the different angles, of "nearest point of relief" very clear.

The video above is by rules expert Barry Rhodes, who uses a whiteboard to diagram different scenarios - situations that also confound golfers into proceeding incorrectly in relation to "nearest point of relief." It's a nearly five-minute-long video, and there are no bells and whistles, but it does of terrific job of laying out the issues.

Below are two more (shorter) videos that show golfers scenarios on the golf course (not just on a whiteboard), which might help more visual readers who need to see the actual situations being discussed.

As noted, if you watch all of these clips, you'll come away with a much fuller and better understanding of "nearest point of relief."