Hi Linda,
First of all I would like to say thanks for the great
service you provide – I have learned so much from you over the years.
Yesterday a question came up that I think I know the answer
to, but I would like to check with you that my understanding is correct.
Between the tee and the fairway there is a very small tree. One
of our society hit the tree straight in the middle and the ball dropped down,
leaving the tree between his ball and the fairway. The player in question asked
if he could call it an unplayable lie, pick the ball up, and return to the tee
to play his third shot. I think this is legal, as you can call a ball
unplayable at any time and return to where you took the last shot, but I am not
sure if this rule applies from the tee. I know he definitely had two other
options, as he could have chipped out sideways with no penalty, or he could
have called it unplayable and dropped it anywhere back on a line keeping where
the ball lay and flag in a direct straight line incurring a one-shot penalty.
I look forward to your response.
Lou from the United Kingdom
Dear Lou,
When a competitor decides that his ball is unplayable, one
of his options [Rule 28a] is to play a ball under stroke and distance. This
means he will add one penalty stroke to his score and play a ball where he hit
his previous shot.
If he chooses this option, and his previous shot was from
the teeing ground, he will hit his next shot from the teeing ground, and it
will be his third shot on the hole. He may play the ball from anywhere on the
teeing ground, and he may re-tee the ball [Rule 20-5a].
Considering the size of the tree (small), his best option might have been to drop within two club-lengths of where the ball lay, no closer to the hole [Rule 28c].
Considering the size of the tree (small), his best option might have been to drop within two club-lengths of where the ball lay, no closer to the hole [Rule 28c].
Linda
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