Rule of the Month - Unplayable Ball

Rule 19 - Unplayable Ball 

19.1 - Player May Decide to Take Unplayable Ball Relief Anywhere Except Penalty Area 

The only individual who can treat their ball as unplayable by requesting penalty relief under Rules 19.2 or 19.3, is a player. Anywhere on the course, with the exception of a penalty area, unplayable ball relief is permitted. The player's only alternative is to use Rule 17 penalty relief if the ball is unplayable in a penalty area.

19.2 - Relief options for Unplayable Ball in General Area or on Putting Green 

A player may take unplayable ball relief using on of the three relief options below, each case adding one penalty stroke. 

• Stroke-and-Distance Relief 
• Back-on-the-Line Relief 
• Lateral Relief 

A player may take stroke-and-distance relief even if the original ball has not been found and identified. But to take back-on-the-line relief or lateral relief, the player must know the spot of the original ball. 

A player decided that their ball in a bush is unplayable. The player has three options, in each case adding one penalty stroke. The player may:

1. Play a ball from a relief region according to the location of the previous stroke to achieve stroke-and-distance relief.
2. To get back-on-the-line relief, drop a ball behind the original ball's spot while maintaining the original ball's location between the hole and the ball's drop spot.
3. Take lateral relief. A ball must be dropped into and played from the two-club-length relief area, which is no closer to the hole than the reference point, which is the original ball's location.

19.3 Relief Options for Unplayable Ball in Bunker

When a player’s ball is in a bunker:

• Any of the following choices in Rule 19.2 allow the player to take unplayable ball relief for one penalty stroke, with the exception of:
• If the golfer uses either lateral or back-on-the-line relief, the ball must be dropped in and land in the bunker.

A player decides that their ball in a bunker is unplayable. The player has four options:

1. For one penalty stroke, the player may take stroke-and-distance relief.
2. For one penalty stroke, the player may take back-on-the-line relief in the bunker.
3. For one penalty stroke, the player may take lateral relief in the bunker.
4. For a total of two penalty strokes, the player may take back-on-the-line relief outside the bunker.

As an extra relief option when a player’s ball is in a bunker, for a total of two penalty strokes, the player may take back-on-the-line relief outside the bunker. 

Penalty for Playing the ball from a Wrong Place - General Penalty 

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Created by intelligentgolf version 10.1.2.