take a look at this bunker/gravel pit wrecked my score and my wedge

I was under the impression the only way to drop outside the bunker is to go back to the original spot.

"If your ball is unplayable in a bunker, for example, all three options above are available, but, if you are going back on a line or using two club-lengths, the ball must be dropped in the bunker".
 
I was under the impression the only way to drop outside the bunker is to go back to the original spot.

Yes, the last part of the link states that the drop must be within the bunker, if you choose the 2 club length or line of the pin methods.
 
Thanks
whilst the understanding of the rule is still unclear to me , I would go with the spirit of the rule and drop outside the bunker with a one shot penalty.

You can't simply drop outside the bunker - unless you do so under 'Stroke and Distance' and replay from where your previous shot was!

What is this 'spirit of the rule'? The Rule is there in plain black and white. Just read it literally!
 
You can't simply drop outside the bunker - unless you do so under 'Stroke and Distance' and replay from where your previous shot was!

What is this 'spirit of the rule'? The Rule is there in plain black and white. Just read it literally!

Thanks for your reply

It also states that a bunker is defined as an area that is shallow and has had the turf and/ or soil removed and replaced with sand or similar.

So if the 'bunker has no sand in it then it just becomes a muddy hole in the ground because the owners of the course are too tight or or too lazy to fill the muddy hole with sand . So IMO it is no longer classed as a bunker in terms of the definition so whilst you may not agree with the term that I used ' the spirit of the rule' I feel justified that I have complied as much as is reasonable with non standard situation.
 
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You MUST to go back to where the last stroke was played from , stroke and distance penalty.

Thanks William

If I played competitions , I would do exactly that because everyone in that environment has to play to the same rules.

But because I play for pleasure and that on many courses following the rules just for pleasure golfers would mean an excessive amount of slow play, I reckon it's easier on everyone just to take a more lenient course of action.

Having said that , I do respect the rules and if I were to play in a competitive way I would be more adherent to the letter of the rules.
 
:thup:
Thanks William

If I played competitions , I would do exactly that because everyone in that environment has to play to the same rules.

But because I play for pleasure and that on many courses following the rules just for pleasure golfers would mean an excessive amount of slow play, I reckon it's easier on everyone just to take a more lenient course of action.

Having said that , I do respect the rules and if I were to play in a competitive way I would be more adherent to the letter of the rules.
:thup:
 
This seems to me to be a very slow way of doing things, especially as everyone is so bothered about "pace of play" these days.

So you're playing a new course, hit a lovely 3 wood up to the green, see it bounce, and roll into a bunker, fine, not a problem.

You then get up there, find a really tough, steep sided, bunker, that (because you're an amateur golfer) you don't think you can get out of, no matter how far back in the bunker you were to drop. This means that to get out, you have to go back 200 yards (not a forum 3 wood), to play your next shot. Wouldn't the rules be more logical if you could drop outside of the bunker, with a 2 shot penalty?
 
If not playing in a comp, I would've moved the ball to where there was sand or failing that, out of the bunker. I haven't got the luxury of damaging clubs and have my sponsor send me a new one.

If I was in a comp I'd have to seriously think about taking a penalty, as again it's my money that buys my gear, it's not given to me and replacing a badly damaged club is not an option.
 
If not playing in a comp, I would've moved the ball to where there was sand or failing that, out of the bunker. I haven't got the luxury of damaging clubs and have my sponsor send me a new one.

If I was in a comp I'd have to seriously think about taking a penalty, as again it's my money that buys my gear, it's not given to me and replacing a badly damaged club is not an option.
:thup:
 
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