Player drives into lateral hazard. Finds ball and
elects to play from hazard.
Hits ball further into hazard and finds ball and makes same
decision.
Does not exit hazard and loses ball.
What options exist and can player drop ball at original
point of hazard crossing? If so how many strokes/penalties have been counted?
Lou
Dear Lou,
Count a stroke each time the player hits his ball. Count only
one penalty stroke, which he incurs when he loses his ball in the hazard and
must drop another.
Here are his options [Rule 26-2a], all of which come with a
one-stroke penalty:
1. Drop a ball in the hazard where he hit his previous shot.
(I would not recommend this choice, since he had trouble getting out of the
hazard from this spot.)
2. Drop a ball behind the hazard on the line-of-sight to the
hole. (This is more likely to be a reasonable option for a ball in a water
hazard, rather than a lateral hazard.)
3. Play a ball from where he hit his last stroke from
outside the lateral hazard. (In your scenario, he would hit another shot from
the teeing ground, and he may re-tee.)
4. Drop a ball within two club-lengths and not nearer the
hole than the spot where his ball crossed the margin of the hazard, or a spot
on the opposite side of the hazard that is the same distance from the hole.
I would recommend that you read two Decisions that explain
this relief procedure, accompanied by diagrams: Decisions 26-2/1 and 26-2/2.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
