Thursday, March 20, 2014

Ask Linda #813-Ball embedded in hazard


Hi Linda

I've been learning a lot about the rules of the game since I subscribed to your daily rules question and answers. 

Now it's time for me to ask a question. 

We've had a run of dry weather with the result that some of the water hazards are quite low. On one of our holes there is a carry of around 100 meters over water if you drive down the right side of the fairway. If you clear the water there is a short steep bank leading to the green. 

I misjudged the carry and landed just short of the green and in the hazard, just short of the red stake, and my ball plugged. I was able to take my stance in the hazard but thought that playing the ball was high risk so asked my opponent (match play) if I could take a 2-club penalty drop. He agreed so I dropped in the hazard and took my penalty. My question is whether I had other options. 

A similar question would be if the ball hasn't plugged but is lying in an unplayable position - can one take a penalty drop from the position of the ball?

Regards
Lou from Knysna, South Africa

Dear Lou,

You stated that you took relief for a ball embedded in a hazard. There is no relief for a ball that is embedded in a hazard [Rule 25-2]. If you are unable to hit the ball as it lies, you must proceed under one of the relief options provided in the water hazard rule, Rule 26-1. There are no other options.

However, since this is match play, you are off the hook. There is no penalty in match play when both opponents are ignorant of a Rule. If you and your opponent agree on a procedure that may be incorrect, it is often not a problem. The problem arises when both opponents know a Rule and agree to exclude it, which does not seem to be the case in your narrative [Rule 2-5, Note 1].

Your second question asks about relief for a ball that is not embedded but is nevertheless unplayable in a hazard. The answer is you may not invoke the unplayable ball rule in a hazard [Rule 28]. Your only relief options are those listed in Rule 26-1.

Linda
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