2 October 2026 · 9 min read
Ball out of bounds in golf: the rule, the penalty, internal out of bounds and Local Rule E-5
A ball out of bounds costs one penalty stroke and the way back. Here is where the boundary runs, how to count, what internal out of bounds is and when Local Rule E-5 asks for two penalty strokes.
A ball is out of bounds when all of it lies outside the boundary edge of the course. The Committee should mark the boundary with white stakes or white lines. You then play with one penalty stroke from where you made the last stroke. That is called stroke and distance (R&A, Rule 18.2). From the tee your next stroke is therefore the third. Some courses allow, with Local Rule E-5, a drop at the edge of the fairway for two penalty strokes instead.
What out of bounds is
Out of bounds is every area outside the boundary edge of the course as the Committee sets it. Everything inside that edge is in bounds (R&A, Definitions). A ball at rest is out of bounds only when all of it lies outside the boundary edge. It is in bounds when any part of it lies on or touches the ground or an object inside the boundary edge, or when it is above the boundary edge or another part of the course (Rule 18.2a). So if even one part of the ball lies on the ground inside the boundary, the ball is in bounds. And you may stand out of bounds to play a ball on the course.
How out of bounds is marked
The Committee marks the boundary with stakes, painted lines, fences or walls. Stakes should be white, but another colour is allowed. The Committee should avoid red and yellow so that nobody mistakes out of bounds for a penalty area (R&A, Committee Procedures). Where the boundary runs depends on the marking:
| Marking | Where the boundary runs | The marking object itself |
|---|---|---|
| Stakes or fence | on the line between the course-side points of the stakes or posts at ground level, excluding angled supports | is out of bounds |
| Painted line | at the course-side edge of the line | the line is out of bounds |
| Wall, road or anything else | the Committee defines the edge | depends on the definition |
The boundary also extends upward and downward. An object that lies partly inside and partly outside is out of bounds only with the part that lies outside. One example in the rule is a tree rooted outside whose branches extend inside.
What out of bounds costs: stroke and distance
If the ball is out of bounds, you must take stroke-and-distance relief. You add one penalty stroke and play the original ball or another ball from where you made the previous stroke (Rule 18.2b). The same rule applies to a lost ball, and the overview is in Ball lost, out of bounds, in the penalty area. You do not get the stroke that ended out of bounds back: it counts, and the penalty stroke comes on top.
| Situation | Penalty | How you count |
|---|---|---|
| Your tee shot lands out of bounds | one penalty stroke | Tee shot and penalty stroke make two. Your next stroke is the third, again from the tee. |
| Your second stroke lands out of bounds | one penalty stroke | Two strokes and the penalty stroke make three. Your next stroke is the fourth, from the spot of the second stroke. |
| You play from a wrong place instead of from the spot of the last stroke | the general penalty | Two penalty strokes in stroke play, loss of the hole in match play (Rule 14.7a). |
A ball out of bounds from the tee therefore costs you two strokes before you start over: the stroke itself and the penalty stroke. The penalties side by side are in Penalty strokes in golf: the overview.
When you see out of bounds coming
If the ball might be out of bounds, you may play a provisional ball to save time. You announce it before the stroke and use the word "provisional". How that works and when it counts is in Provisional ball in golf. If you have played a provisional ball, Local Rule E-5 is no longer available for the original ball.
Internal out of bounds
Internal out of bounds lies inside the property. The Committee may draw a boundary between two holes to maintain the character of a hole or to protect players on the neighbouring holes. The purpose is stated in Model Local Rule A-4: whoever plays this hole should not play to and from another part of the course. One example in the rule is a dogleg where nobody should cut the corner by playing to the fairway of another hole (R&A, Model Local Rules).
Three things matter. First, the Local Rule says for which hole the internal out of bounds applies, and what status the stakes have on the other holes. So ask for the Local Rules before the round. Second, where such a boundary ends in the open, the R&A recommends two stakes side by side at an angle that shows the boundary extends indefinitely in that direction. Third, a ball is out of bounds only if it comes to rest there. A Local Rule saying a ball is out of bounds because it flew over a boundary is not allowed, even if it stays in bounds.
Model Local Rule A-4 carries the note "updated January 2026". It has two variants: A-4.1 applies to the whole hole, A-4.2 only to strokes that must be made from the teeing area. Whoever plays there later on the same hole is then not out of bounds. Which variant your course has is the Committee's decision. The changes to the Model Local Rules in 2026 are summarised in Golf rules 2026: what changes.
The local rule E-5: two penalty strokes instead of the way back
With Model Local Rule E-5 the R&A proposes an alternative that saves time: you play on without going back to the spot of the last stroke. You drop for two penalty strokes in an area between two points. The first is the spot where the ball is estimated to have come to rest, or for a ball out of bounds, last crossed the boundary. The second is the point of the fairway of this hole nearest to it and not nearer the hole. The area must be in the general area and must not be nearer the hole than the first point. Fairway means any part of the general area cut to fairway height or less (R&A, Model Local Rules).
| Stroke and distance | Local Rule E-5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Penalty | one penalty stroke | two penalty strokes |
| Where you continue | from the spot of the last stroke | drop in the area between the out-of-bounds spot and the fairway edge |
| Tee shot out of bounds, next stroke | the third, from the tee | the fourth, from the fairway edge |
| Applies | everywhere | only where the Committee introduces the rule |
The R&A itself says that the relief with E-5 is comparable to what you would have achieved with stroke and distance. The Committee may introduce the rule for the whole course or for only one or two holes. It is meant for casual rounds and your own competitions, not for competitions of elite players. If you want to submit the round for your handicap, follow the guidance of the handicapping body. E-5 cannot be used for a ball that is known or virtually certain to be in a penalty area, nor for an unplayable ball. If you still play from a wrong place, the general penalty applies.
What this means for you
- Out of bounds is only what lies wholly outside the boundary. If one part of the ball lies inside the boundary on the ground or above it, the ball stays in play.
- Out of bounds costs one penalty stroke and the way back to the last stroke, unless your course has E-5.
- If you doubt it at the stroke, you play provisionally.
- Ask for the Local Rules before the round: internal out of bounds and E-5 apply only where the Committee introduces them.
The further rules for the first round are in Golf rules for beginners, and the flow is described in The first round on the golf course. Why a round feels easier at the simulator than on the course is explained in Simulator score versus course score.
Where you practise the direction of your tee shot
If you want to know where your drive goes, one bay hour shows it in the values of each stroke. If you want to work on direction with a pro, indoor golf training lists the venues with coaching: 81 of the 110 indoor venues in the directory state it (as of 2 October 2026, our own entries). The map shows all venues by canton, and for the first visit golf simulator for beginners is the start.
Frequently asked questions
When is a golf ball out of bounds?
When all of it lies outside the boundary edge of the course. If any part of it lies inside the boundary on the ground or above it, it is in bounds. You may stand out of bounds to play a ball on the course (Rule 18.2a).
What does a ball out of bounds cost?
One penalty stroke, and you play from where you made the last stroke (stroke and distance, Rule 18.2b). From the tee your next stroke is the third. If you play from a wrong place, the general penalty of two penalty strokes applies in stroke play.
What is internal out of bounds in golf?
An out-of-bounds boundary inside the property that the Committee draws between two holes to maintain the character of a hole or to protect players on neighbouring holes. It applies for the hole the Local Rule names (Model Local Rule A-4).
What is Local Rule E-5 and what does it cost?
A Model Local Rule of the R&A for lost balls and balls out of bounds: you drop for two penalty strokes in an area between the out-of-bounds spot and the edge of the fairway instead of going back. It applies only where the Committee introduces it.
What colour are the stakes for out of bounds?
They should be white, but another colour is allowed. The Committee should avoid red and yellow for the boundary because they mark penalty areas. With stakes the boundary runs on the line between the course-side points of the stakes at ground level.
Sources
- R&A: Regel 18, Schlag und Distanz, Ball verloren oder im Aus (18.2: wann der Ball im Aus ist und was zu tun ist; 18.3: provisorischer Ball)
- R&A: Rules of Golf 2023, Begriffsbestimmungen (Aus) (Definition Aus, Ausgrenze, Pfähle, Zaun, Linie)
- R&A: Committee Procedures, Abschnitt 2 (Platz und Grenzen) (Pfähle weiss, Linien weiss, interne Grenzen)
- R&A: Musterplatzregeln (Committee Procedures, Abschnitt 8) (A-4 internes Aus, E-5 Alternative zu Schlag und Distanz)
- R&A: Begriffsbestimmungen, Grundstrafe (Grundstrafe: Lochverlust im Lochspiel, zwei Strafschläge im Zählspiel)
- Swiss Golf Simulators: eigene Einträge (Anlagen mit Coaching, Stand 2. Oktober 2026)