What Relief Is Available If Player Cannot Advance the Ball?

[mohearn]

I have a rules question that came up during league play on Wednesday. I'm not sure the ruling, and haven't been able to figure it out for sure. We have some differing opinions and so thought I'd post.

Player A, a 37 HCP hooks a tee shot left, about 40 feet into tall thick grass. Amazingly, we find his ball, he'd have been better off if it were lost. It's really thick and difficult.  At this point, he could take an unplayable, and go back and hit another shot from the tee, stroke and distance. Or, under a usga model local rule we use could take two penalty strokes and drop it out near or in the fairway. (edit: since the ball is not lost, he can't use the model local rule).

But, instead, he takes a few swings at it, whiffing, and then managing to advance it about a foot or two. Eventually, gives up, tosses a club and asks what he can do.

Now, it's not a penalty area, so he can't play from where it crossed any boundary, it's just thick grasses. Going back on the line is also not possible because the thick grass extends the entire length of the course. So now that he's taken some swings, what are his options to continue. Stroke and distance no longer apply, at least with respect to going back to the tee box because more strokes have been made at the ball.

I see only 
1) take a series of unplayables, two club lengths at a time until he is clear of the thick grass.
2) lift the ball using the unplayable rule, place it somewhere playable (but more that two club lengths), and take whatever penalty is due (maybe 2 strokes for playing from the wrong place?).

What else?  My groups consensus is that he has no options, and he's gonna be there until dark hacking away at it.

(Assume stroke play, because if it were match, he could just concede the hole) 

Edited July 30, 2021 by mohearn

[Missouri Swede]

19.2a/2 – Stroke-and-Distance Relief Is Allowed Only at Spot of the Last Stroke
The option to take stroke-and-distance relief for an unplayable ball applies only to where the last stroke was made; a player is not allowed to go back to the spot of any earlier strokes made before that.
If the stroke-and-distance relief option or the back-on-the-line option are not favourable, the only option is to take lateral relief multiple times, taking a penalty each time, until the player can get a ball into a playable location.

[mohearn]

54 minutes ago, Missouri Swede said:

, the only option is to take lateral relief multiple times, taking a penalty each time, until the player can get a ball into a playable location.

Ah, yes, great.  Haven't got to #19 and interpretations in my studies!  Thank you!!

Hypothetically, if a player had this situation, and took an unplayable, and then dropped it in the wrong place (i.e. the fairway).  That's DQ yes? I guess it'd have to be, a serious breach, nothing else makes sense. I see it in 14.7b(1).

 

[Ruler]

On 7/31/2021 at 4:17 AM, mohearn said:

Ah, yes, great.  Haven't got to #19 and interpretations in my studies!  Thank you!!

Hypothetically, if a player had this situation, and took an unplayable, and then dropped it in the wrong place (i.e. the fairway).  That's DQ yes? I guess it'd have to be, a serious breach, nothing else makes sense. I see it in 14.7b(1).

 

Rule 14.7b(1) tells us what is the outcome IF that is a Serious Breach, it does not define SB as such. However, I would tend to agree with you that it would be a SB based on the description you gave in your opening post. To be sure one needs to be at the scene so all this is hypothetical.

[reidsou]

Is it theoretically possible for a player to get into an unplayable location from which no escape is possible?

For example, at the bottom of a steep ravine and they tried to play it once. Now stroke and distance is no longer available, and two club lengths relief area will roll back to the original location. (See interpretation 19.2/1.) 

[pganapathy]

I assume no type or direction of stroke will help the ball escape the grass.  For example sideways or even backwards to escape the rough, comes to mind.

I would have to say taking lateral penalties till you reach a playable lie is the best option if hitting will worsen the situation.

[Ruler]

1 hour ago, reidsou said:

Is it theoretically possible for a player to get into an unplayable location from which no escape is possible?

It is but it is extremely theoretical.

Picture an out of bounds line making a 90 degree turn to left and the green is to the left of the white corner stake. The player hits his ball so that it is leaning against that corner stake. That ball is now in bounds but moving the ball to any direction it will be closer to hole than it is now.

The player makes a swing at the ball and misses. Now the player cannot take stroke and distance, and back on the line or 2 cl's sideways would render the ball either out of bounds or closer to hole.