Rule teaser...

[Losttheplot]

Had a good discussion with my brother and best mate yesterday.

So the scenario is this:
You hit your ball into the front of the bushes and when you get there it is deemed unplayable.
You opt to take your two club lengths and make a drop. So you measure out 2 club lengths from where the ball was, drop the ball but the ball then rolls a further 2 club lengths away from where you dropped it from, it's no closer to the hole and now making it 4 club lengths away from it's initial position in the bush.

Do you have to re-drop it?


Now I've looked at the rules and know what the crack is but I'm just curious and interested to hear what everyone's else's initial thought was on what to do?
Be honest fellas and no looking in the rules!

 

[CMAC]

Yes redrop twice, if it still rolls further away than 2 clublenghts OR nearer the hole then it should be placed.

 

[Slicedwight]

don't you have to redrop it 2 clubs lengths but if it does it 3 times (ie rolls a lot further away) you place it?? just a guess

 

[Doh]

No Re-drop ball can roll up to two club lenghts away.

 

[Fyldewhite]

My understanding is that it can roll a further two clublengths from where it strikes the ground when dropped. If you dropped right on the edge of the original ywo clublengths then it would be OK. If you dropped inside the original two clublengths (which most people do by a few inches at least) then it would have to be re-dropped.

 

[Losttheplot]

Going back to my original OP just to clarify: to keep things simple I kept distances simple but I do appreciate you usually drop a few inches inside your 2club length measurement.

Interesting to see we have a difference in opinion already.. any more suggestions/opinions?

 

[MashieNiblick]

From the info provided I would say no need to re-drop.

My understanding is that providing the ball is properly dropped within 2 club lengths (or 1 depending on the Rule) it may roll a further 2 club lengths from the point where it first strikes the course as long it doesn't finish nearer the hole (there are some other provisios but these don't appear to be relevant to this scenario).

Now going to look it up. Funny how simply asking the question makes you doubt your Rules knowledge.

That's why I always have a copy in my bag.

 

[Doc]

No need to re-drop,

As long as it (the ball) first hit the ground within two club lengths of position being taken as unplayable and it (the ball) remains within two club lengths of where the ball first struck the course.

cheers

Steve...

 

[Losttheplot]

Well since I won't be on later I better answer it now.

When you take your drop, the ball is allowed to roll a further 2 club lengths from the point it strikes the course as long as it remains no closer to the hole.
So in theory where your ball was in the bush, it is possible to be up to 4 club lengths away after a drop.

I didn't think this was the case but after checking the rules I was proved wrong.

It's great to see how such a 'simple' drop for an unplayable lie can have such different opinions on the rules.

I'm off to the Scarborough golf week this week so happy golfing everyone!!

 

[palindromicbob]

No need to re-drop. You took two club lengths and dropped within this for the unplayable ball as prescribed in Rule 28. No problems there.

It also hasn't breached any of the requirements set down in Rule 20-2c (specifically vi & vii) so basically you have got lucky and obtained maximum relief available under rule 28.

 

[CMAC]

Well since I won't be on later I better answer it now.

When you take your drop, the ball is allowed to roll a further 2 club lengths from the point it strikes the course as long as it remains no closer to the hole.
So in theory where your ball was in the bush, it is possible to be up to 4 club lengths away after a drop.

I didn't think this was the case but after checking the rules I was proved wrong.

It's great to see how such a 'simple' drop for an unplayable lie can have such different opinions on the rules.

I'm off to the Scarborough golf week this week so happy golfing everyone!!

Thats interesting, thought I knew that one as its straightforward so thanks for clarifying it, everydays a school day.

Here's a similar but different scenario........what to do?

Ball in an unplayable lie in a bush on a steep hill with water below, measure out 2 clublenghts, drop within 2 clubs but the ball will obviously bounce way down the hill, let it start to roll and catch it rather than lose a prov1 in the drink, can you stop it or should it be left to run just in case it stops?

 

[rosecott]

Here's a similar but different scenario........what to do?

Ball in an unplayable lie in a bush on a steep hill with water below, measure out 2 clublenghts, drop within 2 clubs but the ball will obviously bounce way down the hill, let it start to roll and catch it rather than lose a prov1 in the drink, can you stop it or should it be left to run just in case it stops?

[/QUOTE]

20-2c/3 Placing Ball Instead of Dropping When Obvious Dropped Ball Will Roll into Hazard, Etc.
Q. A player is required to drop a ball. However, it is obvious that the ball when dropped will roll into a hazard, more than two club-lengths, etc., in which case it must be re-dropped and then placed under Rule 20-2c. In such a case, is it permissible to waive the dropping requirement and allow the player initially to place the ball?
A. No. Dropping and then re-dropping are necessary to resolve any doubt as to whether the ball will roll into a hazard, etc., and to establish the spot at which the ball must be placed, if necessary.

To save the ProV1, I would be inclined to lay my bag down on the likely route to the water!

 

[Doc]

I thought it had to enter the hazard before you can intervene.

 

[rosecott]

I thought it had to enter the hazard before you can intervene.

I had assumed hazard was more than 2 clublengths from dropping point so it would be OK to stop the ball by any means. If hazard closer than 2 clublengths - bye bye ProV1.

 

[Imurg]

Ball in an unplayable lie in a bush on a steep hill with water below, measure out 2 clublenghts, drop within 2 clubs but the ball will obviously bounce way down the hill, let it start to roll and catch it rather than lose a prov1 in the drink, can you stop it or should it be left to run just in case it stops?

20-2c/3 Placing Ball Instead of Dropping When Obvious Dropped Ball Will Roll into Hazard, Etc.
Q. A player is required to drop a ball. However, it is obvious that the ball when dropped will roll into a hazard, more than two club-lengths, etc., in which case it must be re-dropped and then placed under Rule 20-2c. In such a case, is it permissible to waive the dropping requirement and allow the player initially to place the ball?
A. No. Dropping and then re-dropping are necessary to resolve any doubt as to whether the ball will roll into a hazard, etc., and to establish the spot at which the ball must be placed, if necessary.

To save the ProV1, I would be inclined to lay my bag down on the likely route to the water! and watch it slide down into the murky depths too...

[/QUOTE]

That's one of the daft Rules of Golf. Why is it necessary to lose 2 balls in order to determine where you're going to place the ball. If it's in the situation described above you're hardly likely to be able to play much of a shot as you're standing on the North face of the Eiger so the ball's position doesn't make much difference does it?

 

[d2cko]

You don't need to lose the balls. Since your taking the drop very seriously I assume your in a competition, in that case you'll have a playing partner, get him to stand just inside the hazard, or next to it and catch the ball as it enters the hazard. I'm yet to see a water hazard that starts exactly at the waterline so I'm sure he could do this without getting wet.

d2

 

[Doc]

I thought it had to enter the hazard before you can intervene.

To clarify my earlier reply, By "enter the hazard" I meant to cross the hazard boundary, not let the ball go into the water.

Cheers