RULE 28

Posted by @pgabsec Rules In Action 3:04 PM

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A player's approach shot to the green lands deep within a water hazard. The player then declares his ball as unplayable and drops a ball as nearly as possible to where he played his lastshot. Has there been a breach of the rules?

You cannot declare your ball unplayable when it is in a water hazard (Rule 28). It is a question of fact whether it is in the hazard. In order to obtain relief under penalty (Rule 26-1) it must be known, or virtually certain, that the ball is within the margin of the hazard.

However, one of the options for taking relief for a ball in a water hazard is to play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played. The player therefore acted within the Rules, even though he did it for the wrong reason.

0nce it is agreed that the player's ball is in the water hazard and cannot be played he has the following options under Rule 26-1, all of which incur a penalty stroke;

a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

b. Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped; or

c. As additional options available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole.

When proceeding under this Rule, the playermay lift and clean his ball or substitute a ball.