Rules for embedded

ball

More Embedded ball rule choices

Last month I noted this month’s article would cover options for a ball embedded in a penalty area or in a bunker.  Most players won’t like any of the available options, however you need to know what the options are if this ever happens to you.

Penalty Area options first; You can play that ball as it lies, or you can take penalty area relief. That’s it. Unplayable ball relief IS NOT allowed for a ball at rest in a Penalty Area. You can take any of your relief options under Rule 17.1 or take a stroke at it. Hopefully the ball leaves the penalty area.  If it doesn’t, well that is another Rule (17.2) which I will cover in a future issue. 

There are a couple of relief options for a ball embedded in sand in a Bunker. Or, if a player doesn’t want relief, the ball can be played as it lies. None of the relief options are free relief. Here are a couple of scenarios involving Rory, Bubba, Phil, and DJ. Each of them has hit their approach shots from the general area and they all ended up with a ball embedded in a green side bunker. Rory decides to take unplayable ball relief for one stroke using the back on the line option, dropping his ball inside the bunker for one penalty stroke. 

Bubba’s ball is embedded in sand on a steep slope inside the bunker.  He opts to take embedded ball relief using the lateral relief option. He understands his relief area must be in the bunker and he will be assessed one penalty stroke. Phil has the dreaded “fried egg” lie. Phil and DJ are debating whose lie is worse, as only a dime-sized portion of DJ’s ball is visible because it is buried at the base of a steep sandy slope.  DJ’s ball is embedded where his stance is a one leg in, one leg out scenario. Neither Phil nor DJ want to try to make a shot from the sand.

Phil liked the distance that he had from where his previous stroke was made and chooses the unplayable ball relief option of stroke and distance. Phil will drop his ball in the general area where his previous stroke was made from outside the bunker for one penalty stroke. DJ does not want to go back to where his previous stroke was made (because he hit his shot from a terrible lie under a bush). DJ chooses to use Rule 19.3b—an extra relief option. DJ drops his ball OUTSIDE the bunker using back on the line relief for a total of two penalty strokes. Each scenario warranted a different choice for a relief option.

These are your relief options for embedded ball in a Penalty Area or Bunker—just keep in mind none of them are without penalty. However, you can always play your ball as it lies for that shot.