Hi Linda,
Can you please answer the following question:
The bunker had an overhang of grass turf (about 4 inches
where the sand had fallen away underneath). The ball embedded under the
overhang in the sand under the grass turf. The ball was unplayable.
What is the correct procedure?
Many thanks,
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
It is not uncommon for sand to wash away, creating an
overhang of grass turf on the edge of a bunker. The question you must ask is:
Where is the ball? The answer, in your scenario, is that it is in the bunker.
There is no free relief for a ball that embeds in sand in a
bunker. If you decide that the ball is unplayable, you must choose one of the
relief options for an unplayable ball [Rule 28]. Here are your choices, all of
which are accompanied by a one-stroke penalty:
1. Play a ball from where you hit your previous shot. This
is called playing under stroke and distance, and is the only option that allows
you to take the ball out of the bunker.
2. Drop a ball in the
bunker behind where your original ball lies on the line-of-sight to the
hole.
3. Drop a ball in the
bunker within two club-lengths of your original lie on a spot that is no
closer to the hole.
Linda
Copyright © 2012 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
