Relief from Cart Path

Relief from Cart Path 1
Relief from Cart Path 2

You are entitled to free relief from a cart path if the ball comes to rest upon the path or your swing or stance is inhibited by the path. A golfer's stance is deemed to be inhibited if any part of your foot comes in contact with the path. When taking relief from the path, you must take complete relief from the path. 

When determining the closest point of relief, you must take a stance free from the path using the club you intend to use to play the shot. When taking 1 club length from the closest point of relief, a longer club such as a driver may be used.

As you can see from the two diagrams off to the side, the closest point of relief is very different for the right handed player than the left handed one. The play first determines the closest point of relief on both sides of the path and measures the distance to the point at which the ball lies. Whichever point is closest is the closest point of relief. The player may then take one club length from that spot.

For the left handed player, option 2 is the closest point of relief and for the right handed play option 1 is.

* Alternately, you do not need to take relief from the path and may play it as it lies.