What would you do in this situation?

[Wedgie]

I was having the round of my life Saturday and then I get to 16. I drive it into thick woods but find my ball. As far as I know my only option is to try to get it back to the fairway so that is what I did. It took me 3 strokes to get thru the woods and back to the fairway. I ended the hole with a triple bogey.

 

Could I have taken an unplayable? If so should I have? There was no where to go but thru the trees and no clear shot out of them. If I take an unplayable where do I drop?

 

Thanks for the help.

 

 

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[cnosil]

Searching the rules of golf will refer you to rule 28 which gives you 3 options.

 

Proceed under the stroke and distance provision of Rule 27-1 by playing a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

 

 

Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or

 

 

Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.

 

You are the sole determiner if a ball is unplayable. A ball can be considered unplayable any time as long as it isn't in a water hazard.

[Wedgie]

Searching the rules of golf will refer you to rule 28 which gives you 3 options.

 

Proceed under the stroke and distance provision of Rule 27-1 by playing a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

 

 

Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or

 

 

Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.

 

You are the sole determiner if a ball is unplayable. A ball can be considered unplayable any time as long as it isn't in a water hazard.

Thank you! If I choose option one can I tee it up again?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[cnosil]

Thank you! If I choose option one can I tee it up again?

 

 

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Yes.

[Wedgie]

Damn I wish I knew this Saturday. Thanks guys!

 

 

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[RickyBobby_PR]

Sometimes the best option is to re-tee

[WeekendGolfChef]

Whenever someone from our group hits what seems like a horrible shot, we always take a second tee shot. That way you don't have to double back and tee off again after the search. We just get to the balls and decide if the first is playable. Saves a lot of time on the course

 

 

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[PlaidJacket]

Here is my standard reply on rules issues - 

 

http://www.barryrhodes.com/

 

Spend some time and sign up for his emails. They are great.

[RoverRick]

Searching the rules of golf will refer you to rule 28 which gives you 3 options.

 

Proceed under the stroke and distance provision of Rule 27-1 by playing a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

 

 

Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or

 

 

Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.

 

You are the sole determiner if a ball is unplayable. A ball can be considered unplayable any time as long as it isn't in a water hazard.

 

Not knowing the exact lay out of the course the best option we can tell you is to take the Mulligan. (That counts as a stroke and distance penalty not a freebie and would be option 1.) And this is the one we should all take.

 

But don't forget Jordan Spieth used the second option last year in the Open Championship to make a bogey. Took a drop in the driving range and hit his third shot there. I can think of a couple of places on my course that I would do this.

 

I think we all are guilty at some point of thinking we can pull off the miracle shot when our smartest options are to take our penalty stroke and go from there.

 

You need to familiarize yourself with your options because knowing the rules will allow you to use them to your advantage and make the best choice to score lower.

[cnosil]

Not knowing the exact lay out of the course the best option we can tell you is to take the Mulligan. (That counts as a stroke and distance penalty not a freebie and would be option 

 

 

I think the correct term is Provisional, not mulligan

[RoverRick]

I think the correct term is Provisional, not mulligan

 

Well, technically, calling it a provisional means that you must play the first if you find it. If you then determine you can't play this original ball, then you can't play the provisional, period, because it is not an option if you find the first. You have to determine which of the 3 reliefs you want but can't use the provisional at all.

 

I would bet that most weekend golfers would go ahead and play the provisional to keep from going back to the tee, but officially you can't play it.

 

You are correct that the term mulligan was not an official term. I used it simply to signify that the only way you get a redo, a mulligan, is a stroke and distance penalty.

[cnosil]

Well, technically, calling it a provisional means that you must play the first if you find it. If you then determine you can't play this original ball, then you can't play the provisional, period, because it is not an option if you find the first. You have to determine which of the 3 reliefs you want but can't use the provisional at all.

 

I would bet that most weekend golfers would go ahead and play the provisional to keep from going back to the tee, but officially you can't play it.

 

You are correct that the term mulligan was not an official term. I used it simply to signify that the only way you get a redo, a mulligan, is a stroke and distance penalty.

 

You are correct on the provisional,  but I wouldn't consider a Mulligan a stroke and distance penalty.  Mulligans are simply a do over and aren't actually in the rules.