Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2021 - 10

RULES PRIMER
Live to Play Another Stroke
An unplayable ball is not the end of the world,
especially if you know Rule 19.
T
o some golfers, the Rules and procedures
surrounding
Rule
19,
Unplayable
Ball, may seem like a " get out of
jail free card. " While that's not true, Rule 19
can help golfers out of bad situations.
In the previous issue of Minnesota Golfer,
we discussed players'
different options
when their ball is in a yellow or red penalty
area-which can come into play here.
A player has several options when their ball
is unplayable, and it's important to first
determine whether or not their ball is in a
penalty area.
A player can decide to take unplayable
ball relief anywhere on the course except in
a penalty area (if a ball is unplayable in a
penalty area, the player's only relief option
is to take penalty relief under Rule 17-see
Minnesota Golfer, Summer 2021).
The illustration highlights various
relief options for an unplayable ball in the
General Area-the entire area of the course
except the teeing area and putting green
of the hole being played, all penalty areas
10
and all bunkers. Diagram 19.2 in the Rules
book shows relief options for an unplayable
ball here. For instance, the player plays
the ball from location 1 into some bushes
and an unplayable location. The player has
three options, which each cost the player a
penalty stroke:
1
2
3
MINNESOTAGOLFER Fall 2021
Take stroke and distance relief and play
a ball from location 1 (see Rule 14.6
for the procedure).
Take " back on the line relief " -
meaning dropping a ball on a line
going straight back from the hole through
the spot the ball lies in the bushes (see
location 2 in Diagram 19.2 in the Rules
book) with one club-length on each side
of the point chosen.
Take " lateral relief " -which means
dropping a ball within two club-lengths
from where the ball lies in the bushes and
is no closer to the hole (see location 3 in
Diagram 19.2 in the Rules book).
For an unplayable ball in a bunker, the
same three relief options of an unplay*
BY BILL HOMEYER *
able ball in the General Area are available.
The only difference is, if the player
chooses " back on the line relief " or " lateral
relief, " the ball must be dropped in
(and remain in) the bunker.
When the Rules of Golf were revised in
2019, a fourth option was added. For two
penalty strokes, a player may take " back
on the line relief " and drop a ball outside
the bunker (see location 4 in Diagram
19.3 in the Rules book). This is helpful
for people who struggle with their bunker
games.
Only the player may decide to treat
their ball as unplayable (a caddie cannot).
Take care when choosing " lateral relief "
because should the ball you dropped roll
back into its original unplayable location,
a re-drop is not allowed. You will
pay one penalty stroke and get a quick
refresher course in the laws of gravity!
Bill Homeyer has been the MGA Women's
Rules & Competitions Consultant since 2002.
mngolf.org
ILLUSTRATION BY COURTNEY NIELSEN
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2021

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