Unplayable rule

[Leereed]

Can someone explain the basics on the unplayable rule please.
as today a lad in our group hit is second into a bunker and was right against the deep face and he was hacking away,so I said why don't you take a unplayable.I got shouted down saying he can see it and play it.
iam I right in think you can call a unplayable on yourself anywhere under penalty.
thanks.

 

[doublebogey7]

Almost, you can declare your ball unplayable anytime except when it is lying in a water hazard.

 

[Foxholer]

...
iam I right in think you can call a unplayable on yourself anywhere under penalty.
thanks.

You were correct! Though there is no penalty for actually 'declaring it unplayable' . The Penalty is a consequence of declaring it unplayable.

Here's the Rule http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-28

The part that was in contention was 'The player is the sole judge as to whether his ball is unplayable.'!

The exception of not being able to declare a ball in a water hazard unplayable is because virtually the same actions (Red staked hazard options differ slightly) are available in those circumstances, though the 'point of reference' is where the ball last crossed the hazard as opposed to the current position.

 

[chrisd]

You can declare the ball unplayable whilst it sits in the middle of the green 18 inches from the pin, if you so wish - I've never done so Myself!

 

[Fish]

You can declare the ball unplayable whilst it sits in the middle of the green 18 inches from the pin, if you so wish - I've never done so Myself!

That's because you'd normally need that putt for 1 point and as such would blob it otherwise 😜😂

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

and OPs PPs clearly also therefore don't understand what taking Stroke & Distance is all about. Which should be rather worrying for OP as that understanding is key to a lot of situations where rulings come into play.

 

[freddielong]

The options are slightly different being in a hazard but if I were you I would be more worried about giving advice.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

The options are slightly different being in a hazard but if I were you I would be more worried about giving advice.

Advice on the rules isn't "advice", although I'm sure there are ways in whihc it should be worded

 

[rulefan]

Advice on the rules isn't "advice", although I'm sure there are ways in whihc it should be worded

You can't say "If I were you ......"
But you can say "Your options are ....."

 

[Colin L]

You were correct! Though there is no penalty for actually 'declaring it unplayable' . The Penalty is a consequence of declaring it unplayable.

Here's the Rule http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-28

The part that was in contention was 'The player is the sole judge as to whether his ball is unplayable.'!

The exception of not being able to declare a ball in a water hazard unplayable is because virtually the same actions (Red staked hazard options differ slightly) are available in those circumstances, though the 'point of reference' is where the ball last crossed the hazard as opposed to the current position.

I think you are overlooking that it takes away the possibility of dropping within 2 lengths of where the ball lies.

 

[freddielong]

Advice on the rules isn't "advice", although I'm sure there are ways in whihc it should be worded

In the thread he says "so I said why don't you take an unplayable" that imo is advice

 

[louise_a]

You can declare it unplayable in a bunker but you if you take the 2 club lengths option you must drop in the bunker, also if you take the back along the line option it must still be in the bunker.

 

[guest100718]

Advice on the rules isn't "advice", although I'm sure there are ways in whihc it should be worded

id think telling someone to stop hacking and take a drop is advice.

 

[Colin L]

Can someone explain the basics on the unplayable rule please.
as today a lad in our group hit is second into a bunker and was right against the deep face and he was hacking away,so I said why don't you take a unplayable.I got shouted down saying he can see it and play it.
iam I right in think you can call a unplayable on yourself anywhere under penalty.
thanks.

It may be worth making clear that if you choose to deem your ball unplayable in a bunker, your options of dropping within 2 club lengths or dropping back on a line from the flagstick through where the ball lies are restricted to dropping in the bunker. The only way you get out of the bunker is by dropping at and playing from where you played your previous shot.

 

[rulefan]

id think telling someone to stop hacking and take a drop is advice.

It would indeed.

 

[Foxholer]

I think you are overlooking that it takes away the possibility of dropping within 2 lengths of where the ball lies.

Oh Dear...My 'favourite' (Yellow stake) Water Hazard blunder!

 

[HawkeyeMS]

You can't say "If I were you ......"
But you can say "Your options are ....."

That's kind of what I was getting at

 

[rulefan]

In the thread he says "so I said why don't you take an unplayable" that imo is advice

What do you think about ---

As the other player is studying his situation saying "Do you know what your unplayable options are?"

 

[Colin L]

It may be worth making clear that if you choose to deem your ball unplayable in a bunker, your options of dropping within 2 club lengths or dropping back on a line from the flagstick through where the ball lies are restricted to dropping in the bunker. The only way you get out of the bunker is by dropping at and playing from where you played your previous shot.

As Louise was saying while I was still typing, having been interrupted in the middle of it.

But a further thought comes to mind. The OP says that the other player was "hacking away". After the first hack at the ball in the bunker, he had no way of getting out of the bunker other than by playing from the bunker. The option of playing from where the last stroke was made means dropping at the spot in the bunker where the ball lay prior to the hack.

 

[rulefan]

As Louise was saying while I was still typing, having been interrupted in the middle of it.

But a further thought comes to mind. The OP says that the other player was "hacking away". After the first hack at the ball in the bunker, he had no way of getting out of the bunker other than by playing from the bunker. The option of playing from where the last stroke was made means dropping at the spot in the bunker where the ball lay prior to the hack.

We might see a change later this year