Bad Lie in a Bunker
From Michelle:
Rule of The Month June 2018
Question: I’ve hit my ball into a bunker and it’s a nasty lie, do I have any other choices than just to whack away at it?
Answer: Yes and this is a good example where the rules of golf are meant to help us, not make our lives miserable!
If you declare your ball unplayable, under penalty of one stroke, you have 3 options under USGA rule 28 (the new rules in 2019 give us another one, but we will hold off on talking about that one for now):
- play again from where you last played
- drop a ball in the bunker behind the point where the ball lies, keeping that point directly between the HOLE and the spot on which the ball is dropped
- Drop a ball in the bunker within two club lengths of where the ball lies, but not nearer the hole