help with a rule

[hovis]

today i hit my ball into one hell of a bunker. as a relatively new golf golfer i knew i would have major trouble getting the ball out due to the very high steep sides. however, i tried and got it out after 5 shots. this destroyed my card.

did i have to play this ball? what are my options?

 

[sweatysock41]

You could have declared the ball unplayable under Rule 28a and replayed the shot from the original ball position under penalty of 1 shot.

Explanation of the rule at link below.

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateu...l%20in%20bunker

 

[Marko77]

just to expand on what sweatysock said, you could go back to where you hit the last shot or depending on whether there is space you could come out the bunker and drop at a point behind where the ball was but on a direct line from where your ball was and the flag. Sometimes saves a long walk.

 

[Imurg]

I thought if the ball's unplayable you can only drop within 2 clubs but still in the bunker. You can still go back and play again.

 

[Toby_LeRhone]

just to expand on what sweatysock said, you could go back to where you hit the last shot or depending on whether there is space you could come out the bunker and drop at a point behind where the ball was but on a direct line from where your ball was and the flag. Sometimes saves a long walk.

No. Unless returning to where the ball was previously played it must be dropped in the bunker.

 

[Toby_LeRhone]

You can do one of 3 things; return to where it was previously played, or drop within 2 club lengths (not nearer hole) or drop on a line back from where it lays. In all cases exept the first one, the ball must be dropped in the bunker.



Rule 28 - Ball Unplayable:

If the player deems his ball to be unplayable, he must under penalty of one stroke:
Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or
Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or
Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.
If the unplayable ball is in a bunker, the player may proceed under Clause a, b or c. If he elects to proceed under Clause b or c, a ball must be dropped in the bunker.

 

[Marko77]

I thought if the ball's unplayable you can only drop within 2 clubs but still in the bunker. You can still go back and play again.

yeah, your right thank god have never done it but always thought it was an option.

 

[Toby_LeRhone]

I thought if the ball's unplayable you can only drop within 2 clubs but still in the bunker. You can still go back and play again.

yeah, your right thank god have never done it but always thought it was an option.

Oh no he isnt. (he's behind you, etc).

The ball can also be dropped anywhere on a line back from the ball (flag and ball) as long as it remains in the bunker (etc).

 

[bigfoot1985]

im not quite with this...

If the ball landed in a bunker and it was playable then wouldnt you just have to keep trying??

I struggle out of bunkers but thats more than likely down to my technique. so next time im in a bunker and i think damn it im going to struggle again i can just say forget that shot i will just retake this one with a drop shot?!!

 

[Toby_LeRhone]

im not quite with this...

If the ball landed in a bunker and it was playable then wouldnt you just have to keep trying??

I struggle out of bunkers but thats more than likely down to my technique. so next time im in a bunker and i think damn it im going to struggle again i can just say forget that shot i will just retake this one with a drop shot?!!

Well, yes. However, dont forget that you've still got to hit the thing again, either from a marginally better lie in the bunker or from where you last hit it; whats to say you wont hit it straight in the bunker again?

 

[Region3]

You can declare a ball unplayable 100yds out in the middle of the fairway if you want to.

As others have said, it wouldn't do you much good in a bunker as you have to drop in the bunker, unless you go back to where you played your last shot from in which case you might put it back in the bunker again.

 

[bigfoot1985]

ok thanks for that.. i now understand!!!

Just seems odd that you can do that but if thats what the rules say then fair enough!!

 

[HawkeyeMS]

im not quite with this...

If the ball landed in a bunker and it was playable then wouldnt you just have to keep trying??

I struggle out of bunkers but thats more than likely down to my technique. so next time im in a bunker and i think damn it im going to struggle again i can just say forget that shot i will just retake this one with a drop shot?!!

You can do that but you'd soon start pi$$ing folk off if you took an unplayable every time you hit a bunker and you'd never get any better. If I was the OP I'd be booking a lesson to learn how to get out a bunker rather than worrying what his options were.

 

[timgolfy]

if you took an unplayable every time you hit a bunker and you'd never get any better.

You'd get better at avoiding bunkers.

 

[bigfoot1985]

yeah i know what your saying i was just looking at it from the extreme by saying what i have..

i have never had an unplayable ball in a bunker even if it has taken me 3 attempts to get out!!

I just couldnt understand the ruling pmsl

 

[HawkeyeMS]

if you took an unplayable every time you hit a bunker and you'd never get any better.

You'd get better at avoiding bunkers.

Don't talk daft, how does taking an unplayable every time you hit a bunker make you better at avoiding bunkers?

 

[timgolfy]

Don't talk daft, how does taking an unplayable every time you hit a bunker make you better at avoiding bunkers?

Because you have one extra shot from the fairway = more practice and experience, and the chance to correct a fault.

Your statement: "if you took an unplayable every time you hit a bunker and you'd never get any better." is wrong. You'd never get better at bunker shots, true. But it doesn't follow that his shots elsewhere wouldn't improve.

Once again, this proves that you old folk on here at set in your ways. "I can't do it, so no one can".

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Don't talk daft, how does taking an unplayable every time you hit a bunker make you better at avoiding bunkers?

Because you have one extra shot from the fairway = more practice and experience, and the chance to correct a fault.

Your statement: "if you took an unplayable every time you hit a bunker and you'd never get any better." is wrong. You'd never get better at bunker shots, true. But it doesn't follow that his shots elsewhere wouldn't improve.

Once again, this proves that you old folk on here at set in your ways. "I can't do it, so no one can".

Jesus you really are a tit aren't. On a post about bunkers, when I said you wouldn't get any better I was clearly talking about bunkers. What you're demonstrating once again is you have no idea about golf. Some of us, who actually play golf, understand that you have to be able to play all the shots required, which includes bunkers, and you won't get very far in this game if take a penalty drop every time you aren't happy with the result.

By the way, some of us old folk are younger than you and are perfectly competent at getting out of bunkers (and you don't learn that by not hitting bunker shots)

 

[timgolfy]

I think it proves one thing for certain: Some of you old forumites are too self-important to admit when you're wrong.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Hahahahahahahahahaha

You're clearly only here to try to wind people up in which case, might I suggest you go and find somewhere else to do it and leave this forum to those of us who actually want to discuss golf sensibly and not just to try to pick fights with people for the sake of it.