Dear Linda,
I have not understood your clarification in paragraph 2 read in conjunction with paragraph 3.
Can you please clarify the following situation:
The ball is embedded in the greenside wall of the bunker. Am I correct in understanding that, if in this situation, free relief (one club-length) is not available, not closer to the hole, one can drop on the flag line behind the bunker? If not, how does one proceed?
Regards,
Lou from Pune, India
Dear Lou,
There is no free relief available if your ball is embedded at the very base of a bunker wall made of soil, grass, turf, or artificial material if neither the reference point (which must be right behind the ball in the case of an embedded ball) nor any part of the course within one club-length of that spot is in the general area [Clarification from December, 2018].
If you decide that you cannot play the ball, you may declare it unplayable, in which case you must add one penalty stroke to your score and choose one of these relief options: (1) play a ball from where you played your previous shot, (2) drop a ball back on the line, or (3) drop a ball within two club-lengths of where it lies [see Rule 19.2 for all the particulars]. If you choose back-on-the-line relief, you may drop anywhere on the reference line behind your ball, in any area of the course, which would include both in and behind (outside) the bunker.
Dear Linda,
In your last statement that you are not entitled to relief if the ball is embedded just above the sand but does not allow relief with the relief rules, do you drop it in the sand with no penalty?
Lou from Ontario, Canada
Dear Lou,
No.
You may declare your ball unplayable and drop it back on the line in the bunker, but you will get a one-stroke penalty for taking unplayable relief under Rule 19.2.
Linda
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