Cart Path in Red Stake

[Cashuss_K]

I’ll start with the “I believe I already know the answer, but want to see if you agree” statement. 
 

At my local Muni, there is a Par 5 where the tee shot is hit into a narrowing alleyway between a white stake OB on the left and Red stake Forrest on the right. The gravel cart path runs through the right red staked area just next the the fairway but is hidden/ blocked by a tree line and bushes. 
 

My buddy hits his tee shot and sprays it right just through the trees and into the Red stake hazard. He walks up to look for his ball and finds his ball in the middle of the cart path. 
 

tl;dr Do you get relief from a cart path if the cart path (and ball) is within a red staked area? 
 

Here’s the question to you all, in this instance, does he get free relief from the cart path? 

[cnosil]

13 minutes ago, Cashuss_K said:

I’ll start with the “I believe I already know the answer, but want to see if you agree” statement. 
 

At my local Muni, there is a Par 5 where the tee shot is hit into a narrowing alleyway between a white stake OB on the left and Red stake Forrest on the right. The gravel cart path runs through the right red staked area just next the the fairway but is hidden/ blocked by a tree line and bushes. 
 

My buddy hits his tee shot and sprays it right just through the trees and into the Red stake hazard. He walks up to look for his ball and finds his ball in the middle of the cart path. 
 

tl;dr Do you get relief from a cart path if the cart path (and ball) is within a red staked area? 
 

Here’s the question to you all, in this instance, does he get free relief from the cart path? 

Rule number 17.3:  No Relief Under Other Rules for Your Ball in Penalty Area

[Cashuss_K]

17 hours ago, cnosil said:

Rule number 17.3:  No Relief Under Other Rules for Your Ball in Penalty Area

Didn't know the specific rule, thank you. I know you cannot drop a ball into a Hazard and if he were to drop in play, that would be a stroke penalty. Luckily we were just playing for bragging rights, but it was still an odd situation that I hadn't ever come across before.

[DaveP043]

@cnosil has it right, based on Rule 17 for Penalty Areas.  To reinforce that, this is from 16.1a, discussing Relief from Abnormal Course Conditions (Including Immovable Obstructions):

Quote

There is no free relief from an abnormal course condition when the abnormal course condition is out of bounds or your ball is in a penalty area.