Rule 28

Got this from email.

Is this rubbish or is it the correct interpretation? (I think about.com is not the definitive source just in case you are thinking about it)


Must the Golf Ball Be Literally Unplayable?
By Brent Kelley, About.com Guide


Here's a question we get from time to time:


"Following my first putt on the green, my ball rolled into a greenside bunker. Can I declare my ball 'unplayable,' and go back to the last spot where I last hit it to re-play the shot?"


The short answer: Yes.


It's counterintuitive, becase declaring a ball unplayable when, in fact, the ball is eminently playable seems counter to the basic golf principle of "play it as it lies."


In the scenario described above, the golfer would remove the ball from the bunker, assess himself a 1-stroke penalty, place the ball at the spot of the original putt and try again. You never, ever see pros doing something like this because pros are unwilling to take the penalty. A golfer who is terrified of sand (pros consider sand shots among the easier shots in golf) might, however, think that 1-stroke penalty is worth it to get out of the sand.


Fact is, a golfer can declare any ball unplayable, at any time, for any reason, and anywhere on the course other than in a water hazard. The penalty is one stroke with three options for how to proceed.


In the rulebook, it's Rule 28, Ball Unplayable, and it's as straightforward as can be:
"The player may declare his ball unplayable at any place on the course except when the ball is in a water hazard. The player is the sole judge as to whether his ball is unplayable."
After taking a 1-stroke penalty, the three options for proceeding are to return to the spot of the previous stroke and play again; or drop within two club lengths, not nearer the hole; or drop behind the spot, going back as far as you want, keeping the original spot between the hole and the new place where you drop.


If you declare a ball in a bunker unplayable and use the second or third option (taking a drop), you must drop in the bunker.


For a little more explanation, read Rule 28. It's every bit as clear as it sounds, even if that doesn't sound quite right.

Reason I'm posting this is someone said they can replay a shot after it hit the lamp post.
Something like what Dustin Johnson did before.. but was it a lamp post?

not lamp post lah, but power cable

for lamp post, you can replay your shot, but with penalty for unplayable

I think you can only replay without penalty when it is "outside agent" right? Lamp post, electrical box, fix fence and such are immovables... which entitles you to free relief if they interfere with your stance or swing path. Is this right?


Anyway, I saw that about.com article too, and it's very useful for dumb golfer like me who can putt from 3 feet and end up outside the green and indeed sometimes in the bunker - I should just take and reply for unplayable rather than trying sand shots...
Question is, can I declare unplayable when the ball's still on the green? It's useful like that hole waht... hole 8 in aranda? The one with such impossible green where they always put the hole right on the ridge of a deep downhill of the green.

Actually guys, the exact scenario described in the original post happened to Tiger Woods I believe in the 2006 Masters at Augusta National. ( I may be wrong about the year).

He putted the ball off the green into a bunker, it was a tough bunker shot to a tight pin now, so he declared an unplayable, putted again, made the putt and won the event!

If you think about it, 2 on the green, 3 into the bunker, 4 is penalty but now he knows the line, 5 in the hole... easy bogey.....

Otherwise, 3 into bunker, 4 is blast onto green, tough bunker shot, now looking at 2-3 putt, suddenly bogey is looking good.

The key point with an unplayable, is only the person playing the shot can call the ball unplayable, the playing partners have no say!!!

Hitting a lamp post if different, that is not an unplayable, that is just replay shot, no penalty stroke.

So SH can declare unplayable or not if still on green?

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-of-Golf.aspx#/rules/?ruleNum=28

So the "Hand Wedge" or drop out of a bunker is 2 strokes unless you play from the original position?

DimWit Kid wrote:

So SH can declare unplayable or not if still on green?

You can declare an unplayable anywhere anytime, middle of the fairway if you want......

SH, so I hit a shot and the ball hit the lamp post and either go water or ob or bounce back, I can hit again at roughly the same location without penalty?

What about if the ball hit a power box, same thing as well?

Thanks in advance for your response.

shorthitter wrote:

DimWit Kid wrote:

So SH can declare unplayable or not if still on green?

You can declare an unplayable anywhere anytime, middle of the fairway if you want......

Thanks!

EastCoastHack wrote:

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-of-Golf.aspx#/rules/?ruleNum=28

So the "Hand Wedge" or drop out of a bunker is 2 strokes unless you play from the original position?

You cannot drop out of a bunker, if you choose the unplayable you get 2 clublengths, or as far back as you want keeping ball and flag in a straight line, or rehit.... if you choose the 1st 2 options in a bunker the drop must still be in the bunker, the only option to get you out of the bunker is the rehit......

blee wrote:

SH, so I hit a shot and the ball hit the lamp post and either go water or ob or bounce back, I can hit again at roughly the same location without penalty?

What about if the ball hit a power box, same thing as well?

Thanks in advance for your response.

Yes, (normally), normally because it should be stated on the local rules part of the scorecard, (MBGC used to have it there), some courses say tough luck treat is as a tree, but most say "no line of sight drop, reply shot if it hits post"

Ok. Thanks! Guess at occ it is local rules. U play where the ball lands when it hits the lamp post.

blee wrote:

Ok. Thanks! Guess at occ it is local rules. U play where the ball lands when it hits the lamp post.

godfather of occ has spoken... all shall be silent hence forth..

Ooi, go talk to the Greens Committee in OCC hor. They set the rules!

I was under the impression that unless the local rules allow for free relief from a ball deflected by an immovable obstruction (as opposed to temp immovable obstruction), there is no relief or free replay of the shot

i happen to have a OCC scorecard with me. it does not mention anything about lamp post except that it's an immovable obstruction. that means you have to play the ball as it lies when it comes to rest after hitting the lamp post.

my scorecard may not be updated though.

Thanks ZX!

shorthitter wrote:

Actually guys, the exact scenario described in the original post happened to Tiger Woods I believe in the 2006 Masters at Augusta National. ( I may be wrong about the year).

He putted the ball off the green into a bunker, it was a tough bunker shot to a tight pin now, so he declared an unplayable, putted again, made the putt and won the event!

If you think about it, 2 on the green, 3 into the bunker, 4 is penalty but now he knows the line, 5 in the hole... easy bogey.....

Otherwise, 3 into bunker, 4 is blast onto green, tough bunker shot, now looking at 2-3 putt, suddenly bogey is looking good.

The key point with an unplayable, is only the person playing the shot can call the ball unplayable, the playing partners have no say!!!

Hitting a lamp post if different, that is not an unplayable, that is just replay shot, no penalty stroke.

hi
am puzzled by the above scenario!
i thought if you hit into a bunker, you can declare unplayable, but the ball must still be played from somewhere in the bunker?

slazenger wrote:

shorthitter wrote:

Actually guys, the exact scenario described in the original post happened to Tiger Woods I believe in the 2006 Masters at Augusta National. ( I may be wrong about the year).

He putted the ball off the green into a bunker, it was a tough bunker shot to a tight pin now, so he declared an unplayable, putted again, made the putt and won the event!

If you think about it, 2 on the green, 3 into the bunker, 4 is penalty but now he knows the line, 5 in the hole... easy bogey.....

Otherwise, 3 into bunker, 4 is blast onto green, tough bunker shot, now looking at 2-3 putt, suddenly bogey is looking good.

The key point with an unplayable, is only the person playing the shot can call the ball unplayable, the playing partners have no say!!!

Hitting a lamp post if different, that is not an unplayable, that is just replay shot, no penalty stroke.

hi
am puzzled by the above scenario!
i thought if you hit into a bunker, you can declare unplayable, but the ball must still be played from somewhere in the bunker?

Actually it is rather straight forward for rule 28. Go here and you get all your answer;

http://www.mulliganplus.com/unplayable-lie-rule28.cfm

Now i can apply this rule whenever my ball hit bunker in mbgc.. Bring back to last position i hit my shot and take 1 penalty .. Correct or not ?

tks for the link!

he opted for option 1 :
Play a ball as near as possible to the spot from which the original ball was last played

with a 1 stroke penalty!

slazenger wrote:

shorthitter wrote:

Actually guys, the exact scenario described in the original post happened to Tiger Woods I believe in the 2006 Masters at Augusta National. ( I may be wrong about the year).

He putted the ball off the green into a bunker, it was a tough bunker shot to a tight pin now, so he declared an unplayable, putted again, made the putt and won the event!

If you think about it, 2 on the green, 3 into the bunker, 4 is penalty but now he knows the line, 5 in the hole... easy bogey.....

Otherwise, 3 into bunker, 4 is blast onto green, tough bunker shot, now looking at 2-3 putt, suddenly bogey is looking good.

The key point with an unplayable, is only the person playing the shot can call the ball unplayable, the playing partners have no say!!!

Hitting a lamp post if different, that is not an unplayable, that is just replay shot, no penalty stroke.

hi
am puzzled by the above scenario!
i thought if you hit into a bunker, you can declare unplayable, but the ball must still be played from somewhere in the bunker?

hi Slazenger, only if you take option 1 or 2. Option 3 is replay the shot, so you go back to where you hit the original from.

Begbie wrote:

Now i can apply this rule whenever my ball hit bunker in mbgc.. Bring back to last position i hit my shot and take 1 penalty .. Correct or not ?

Correct big man..... I mean Begbie.....

Thanks for the explanations, links and contribution guys. Good thread, good read and very informative! Thank you!