What Are The Options For An Unplayable Lie In The Bunker?

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

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

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

00:12There's always that element of, I can do this, isn't I? You're generally going to have a go at it.

00:18I'd probably hit it up here and then it'd roll back down again.

00:20Probably, but you'd have a go.

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

00:26kind of in the bunker where you've just plugged underneath the lip of the heather or something,

00:29where you really can't get up to it.

00:30You can't get a stance if the face was almost vertical.

00:33So what are your options?

00:34Well, your options, as with any unplayable lie, you can decide when it's unplayable.

00:38It's entirely up to you. You're the sole judge of when the ball is unplayable and you wish to proceed

00:44under the unplayable ball rules. You have the three options that you normally have.

00:48So you go back to where you last played it from, which on this hole is way up there somewhere.

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

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

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

01:03I think even today, even with the bunker being a bit wet, I think it would plug.

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

01:10but stay within the bunker. These are all under penalty of one shot.

01:13So those are your traditional options.

01:15Yes.

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

01:20which allows you to drop back on the line outside the bunker,

01:24but there is an extra shot penalty.

01:25Right. So two shots.

01:26So two shots.

01:27Yeah.

01:27Quite a steep penalty that, Jez, but I think I'll probably have to take that.

01:30Well, I guess if you're someone who bunkers really are a problem,

01:33or you just really couldn't get a stance up there and you don't want to risk it plugging.

01:37I've not seen anyone do it myself yet, but maybe people have.

01:40Let's do it.

01:40If you do now have this option, you can come outside the bunker, back on line as far as you like.

01:45Keep in line with the flag.

01:46Yep. You can see the plug mark there.

01:48I can see the plug mark there.

01:49So around about here, Jez?

01:50Around about there, knee high, and then a nice tight bear lie to chip over from.

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

02:01but let's see.

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

02:06the camera, so it's, you know, it's a nasty scenario to be in.

02:09I probably wouldn't take this off. Are you going to ask me to play this?

02:11Let's see what you've got.

02:12Yeah, come on.

02:13Okay.

02:13You're going to get up the top, then it'll roll down.

02:16Good luck, everyone.

02:21Oh, well, I've duffed it.

02:22You might just get far enough to get him down the slope.

02:25No, now you've left yourself in three-pack country.

02:28I definitely would have played it if it was in the face of the bunker.

02:30Hopefully that gives you some idea about your options if you find yourself in a really tricky spot in the sand.

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