Options For A Unplayable Ball In A Bunker | Golf Monthly - video Dailymotion

Golf Monthly

In this video, Neil Tappin and Jeremy Ellwood talk you through your options when you are faced with an unplayable lie in a bunker.

Transcript

00:00 Right, so we have what we are going to call an unplayable lie in the bunker. Truth be

00:08 told Jez, if I was in this situation on the golf course I would probably have a go at

00:12 this.

00:13 There is always that element of I can do this isn't there. You are generally going to have

00:18 a go at it.

00:19 I would probably hit it up here and then it would roll back down again.

00:21 Probably, but you would have a go.

00:22 But there is going to be situations on the golf course, there might be some heather in

00:26 the bunker where you have just plugged underneath a lip of the heather or something where you

00:30 really can't get to it.

00:31 You can't get a stance if the face is almost vertical.

00:34 So what are your options?

00:35 Well your options as with any unplayable lie, you can decide when it is unplayable, it is

00:39 entirely up to you. You are the sole judge of when the ball is unplayable and you wish

00:43 to proceed under the unplayable ball rules. You have the three options that you normally

00:47 have. So you go back to where you last played it from, which on this hole is way up there

00:52 somewhere. You can drop it within two club lengths of where it lies, not nearer the hole.

00:57 Somewhere in the flat down here on this scenario.

00:59 And today it might not plug, but typically in a bunker there is a real chance of it then

01:03 plugging.

01:04 I think even today, even with the bunker being a bit wet, I think it would plug.

01:06 It might well do. And you can go back as far as you like on the line, but stay within the

01:11 bunker. These are all under penalty of one shot. So those are your traditional options.

01:16 But from the new rules onwards you have a fourth option in bunkers now, which allows

01:21 you to drop back on the line outside the bunker, but there is an extra shot penalty.

01:25 So two shots. Quite a steep penalty that, Jez, but I think I will probably have to take

01:30 that.

01:31 If you are someone who bunkers really are a problem or you just really couldn't get

01:35 a stance up there and you don't want to risk it plugging. I have not seen anyone do it

01:38 myself yet, but maybe people have.

01:40 Let's do it.

01:41 You do now have this option. You can come outside the bunker, back on line as far as

01:45 you like.

01:46 Keep in line with the flag.

01:47 Yes. You can see the plug mark there.

01:48 I can see the plug mark there. So around about here Jez?

01:50 Yes, around about there, knee high and then a nice tight bare lie to chip over from. In

01:56 reality here you might have gone back so much further over there and played a fuller shot.

02:01 But the truth is it is wet underfoot, it is muddy everywhere, there are some trees behind

02:06 the camera. So it is a nasty scenario to be in. I probably wouldn't take this. Are you

02:10 going to ask me to play this?

02:11 Let's see what you have got. Come on.

02:12 OK.

02:13 Good luck everyone.

02:14 If you get it at the top then it will roll down.

02:21 Good luck everyone.

02:22 Oh, well I have duffed it.

02:23 You might just get far enough to go down the slope.

02:24 Go.

02:25 No, now you have left yourself in three pack country.

02:27 I definitely would have played it if it was in the face of the bunker. Hopefully that

02:30 gives you some idea about your options if you find yourself in a really tricky spot

02:34 in the sand.

02:37 (chimes)

02:39 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Options For A Unplayable Ball In A Bunker | Golf Monthly

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