Can you take an unplayable in a hazard

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In summary, if you find your ball in a position where you cannot make a swing, or choose to take relief, you have the option to claim an unplayable lie. The penalty for doing so is one stroke. Your three options include going back to the point where you played your previous stroke, taking a drop within two club lengths, or moving straight back anywhere along an extension of a line between the flagstick and where your ball originally came to rest.

This is one of the least understood Rules and considered to be one of the more complex — Rule a. You can keep trying and trying if you wish with no limit as to the number of strokes you attempt. The reason this Rule even exists is that a player is not allowed to use the Unplayable Ball Rule Rule 28 when her ball is in a water hazard.

Consider this example. If my ball were in a water hazard and as a result of stroke, I drove it straight down into the mud. The idea of the provisional balls is that if you hit your ball somewhere you may not find it, as long as it's not in a penalty area, you can then hit a provisional to potentially save you a long walk back.

You HAVE to make it clear that you are playing a provisional ball before you hit - you can say, "I'm going to hit another just in case," but our advice would be that it's probably best to use the words 'provisional ball' to avoid the potential for confusion.

If you find your original ball, your provisional ball is then immediately out of play. You cannot play your provisional ball, even if you find your original ball in an undesirable spot. The point of the provisional ball is to save time.

If you're in any doubt as to whether or not you'll find your original ball, hit a provisional and remember to declare it first. The nearest point of complete relief doesn't mean 'nicest' point of relief. Sometimes the nearest point of relief may be in a bush so it could sometimes be better to play from where it is lying, even if it's on a cart path.

If you are taking a drop away from an immovable obstruction or abnormal course condition, you must take complete relief. This means you cannot drop the ball in a position where you would still be standing on the condition or obstruction from which you are taking relief. Some key things you can and can't do in bunkers :. You are not allowed to ground your club in the sand or take practice swings striking the sand - the only time you can hit the sand is at impact.

If you do ground your club, then you will be penalised.