Penalty stroke or not ?

[Oops!]

Yesterday, my ball ended up in a hole in the rough. It was exactly the same shape and size as a hole on a green (!), so there was no chance of getting the ball out of there with a stroke. So, due to the condition of the course, the ball was definitely unplayable.

My fellow players and I were unsure: we agreed that I could have taken the ball out with my hand and dropped it if I had declared it unplayable.

However, the question remained whether this would incur a penalty stroke or not ?

How is it done correctly ? And which rules apply ?

 

[Colin L]

You were right that you could lift the ball out of the hole; you can decide your ball is unplayable for any reason anywhere on the course except in a penalty area. It costs you a one stroke penalty and you have three choices: dropping a ball within two club lengths of where your ball lies, not nearer the hole; dropping a ball on a line from the hole through where your ball lies; and stroke and distance. Rule 19 is your guide to all of this.

The term 'unplayable' can mislead you. In this specific golfing situation it does not mean the ball is impossible to play but rather that the player, for whatever reason, reckons he would be better off taking the one stroke penalty in order to play from somewhere other than from where it lies. For example, you ball is lying comfortably on manicured turf but but there is a wall crossing the fairway so close that you doubt your ability to lift your ball over it and so you go back on the line from the hole to where you are confident you can do it. it costs a stroke but gives you certainty for your next shot rather than the risk of hitting the wall. It's a judgment call and it is solely the player's call to make.

 

[backwoodsman]

Short answer is ... it depends.

If it was a hole made by the greenkeepers whilst they were looking after the course, then it counts as ground under repair and you get free relief under 16.1. But if it wasnt made under those circumstances, then you'd have to declare it unplayable and take relief under penalty - rule 19.

And I dont see how you'd know the difference? But either way, you get relief so I'd suggest taking relief with 1Cl (the lesser of the differing limits) then asking whether you need to add a penalty when you finish.

 

[Orikoru]

Short answer is ... it depends.

If it was a hole made by the greenkeepers whilst they were looking after the course, then it counts as ground under repair and you get free relief under 16.1. But if it wasnt made under those circumstances, then you'd have to declare it unplayable and take relief under penalty - rule 19.

And I dont see how you'd know the difference? But either way, you get relief so I'd suggest taking relief with 1Cl (the lesser of the differing limits) then asking whether you need to add a penalty when you finish.

What if it was made by an animal?

 

[backwoodsman]

What if it was made by an animal?

I think if it was "... exactly the same shape and size as a hole on the green ..." then I think you can discount that possibility?

 

[Orikoru]

I think if it was "... exactly the same shape and size as a hole on the green ..." then I think you can discount that possibility?

I didn't think he meant the hole had literally been made by a greenkeeper's hole-cutter, I thought he was just trying to stress how deep it was. Anyway, I asked out of curiosity as much as anything.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Was it a hole that had previously held a post, eg a 150 yard marker?

 

[backwoodsman]

I didn't think he meant the hole had literally been made by a greenkeeper's hole-cutter, I thought he was just trying to stress how deep it was. Anyway, I asked out of curiosity as much as anything.

Perhaps the OP can provide more detail?

But given he stressed the word 'exactly', I suppose he was indicating it was small, round & neat - ie like a hole on the green. In which case, I think one can easily assume it was still not made by an animal.