Replaying from original spot

Yes to both questions. You always have the option to play stroke and distance. Rule 27-1a.

27-1. Stroke and Distance; Ball Out of Bounds; Ball Not Found Within Five Minutes
a. Proceeding Under Stroke and Distance

At any time, a player may, under penalty of one stroke, play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5), i.e., proceed under penalty of stroke and distance.
Except as otherwise provided in the Rules, if a player makes a stroke at a ball from the spot at which the original ball was last played, he is deemed to have proceeded under penalty of stroke and distance.

Yes to situation #1.

 

No to Situation #2  a player has the option to drop (unplayable from where ball came to rest) with penalty, but not from where shot was played from. The player played his shot and that shot resulted in an unplayable situation deemed by the player. When the player deemed his ball unplayable in the bush, his options would be 2 club lengths from where ball lies (never closer to the hole) or they may take line of pin and go as far as they deem away from hole.

 

Situations where a player has the option to drop from the position the ball was played from, examples are:

Re Teeing the ball when lost or deemed OB

Ball lost on course

Ball in Water Hazard

 

Club Rat

 

Just for an example, look at this situation.  A player has a slippery 25 foot downhill putt to hole cut just 7 feet from the edge of the green.  He strike the ball a bit too hard and it cruises past the hole, over the fringe, down a slope and into a water hazard.  The drop a from the hazard would be on the far side of the water, leaving a 100 yard shot.  The player is still allowed to choose the option under rule 26-1a and play again from the previous spot, with a one stroke penalty, even though that is much closer to the hole.  The same is true when proceeding under Rule 28 for an unplayable lie, and it's always up to the player to determine this.  He can declare a ball unplayable at any place on the course outside of a water hazard.  The stroke and distance option is actually the first option listed in the procedure (Rule 28a).  When the ball lies unplayable in a water hazard, then you are required to proceed under Rule 26-1, but the same option is offered under 26-1a.

 

You are wrong.  Look it up.

Hmm. Went to the decisions and I was wrong.........

 

I think we've all been there.  

 

 

And that's also what happens periodically to players when a Rules situation comes up - they can get "tunnel vision" and don't give it enough thought.  One of the characteristics of a good rules official is that he looks into the player's eyes to see if the player is "there" and understanding the discussion. 

Just so the OP and others reading are clear on this. The ball does not have to be unplayable or in a hazard. R27-1a always allows you to play under stroke and distance. Rule 20-5 explains the procedure for doing it.

 

Tiger Woods did just that a couple of years ago.

I will agree with above and a good rule too, I know myself with some particuar bunkers on courses that I play, if I go in and the ball is not in a perfect position, I will just replay the original shot that got me there. (bunker too deep, and my sand game too unreliable to guarentee getting out first time).

In a bunker, the ball must be dropped within two club lengths without advancing the ball or directly back along the original line as far as desired without leaving the bunker, or re-hit from the original lie; all with a one-stroke penalty.

It doesn't matter where the original position was (even the putting green).  The only time a player may not declare his ball unplayable is from a water hazard (yellow stakes).

 

Don't take anything stangmark says too seriously.  Judging from his efforts on a dozen or more threads last night, he has a very confused and confusing idea of what the rules actually say in most situations.