Question involving redropping

[Powertop]

This situation has come up a couple times in the past month in tournaments and I've interpreted the rules differently than how it was played.

A B C D E

Say letter A is where the ball last crossed the hazard. Between each letter is one club length, so letter C would be 2 club lengths away from the hazard. If you drop the ball between B and C and it rolls just outside C, between C and D, do you need to redrop because it ended up outside 2 clubs lengths? Or would the ball be in play? I have thought the ball is in play but the past two times the player redropped. Thanks

[Yukari]

This situation has come up a couple times in the past month in tournaments and I've interpreted the rules differently than how it was played.

You need to redrop, since it is outside the two club length.

[David in FL]

You need to redrop, since it is outside the two club length.

I'm sorry, but this is incorrect. As long as the ball does not roll more than 2 club lengths from where it first struck the course, the ball is in play, even if it rolls outside of the original 2 club lengths. A rule that is often misunderstood.

[Powertop]

Rule 20-2c:(vi) A dropped ball must be re-dropped, without penalty, if it:
rolls and comes to rest more than two club-lengths from where it first struck a part of the course
Is it saying the point where you take two club lengths from or where the ball hits after you drop it?

[David in FL]

Rule 20-2c:(vi) A dropped ball must be re-dropped, without penalty, if it:

From the point where it strikes the course after you drop it. Decision 20-2c/1 Dropped Ball Rolling Out of Prescribed Dropping Area Q. A player taking relief under the Rules sometimes appears to obtain more relief than he is entitled to because the relevant Rule allows him some latitude within which to drop and the dropped ball then rolls some distance from the place where it was dropped. When a Rule prescribes an area within which a ball must be dropped, e.g., within one or two club-lengths of a particular point, should it be re-dropped if it rolls outside the area so prescribed? A. No, not necessarily. Provided the ball has been correctly dropped (Rule 20-2a) and does not roll into any of the positions listed in Rule 20-2c, it is in play and must not be re-dropped. In particular, under Rule 20-2c(vi), the ball may roll up to two club-lengths from the point where it first struck a part of the course when dropped, and this may result in its coming to rest an appreciable distance farther from the condition from which relief is being taken. FWIW, if you want,you can win a lot of bar bets on this one......!

[iacas]

You need to redrop, since it is outside the two club length.

Pretty sure that's wrong:

http://www.usga.org/bookrule.aspx?id=14292#20-2 Relevant portions bolded here:

Source: USGA Rules c. When to Re-Drop A dropped ball must be re-dropped, without penalty, if it: (i) rolls into and comes to rest in a hazard; (ii) rolls out of and comes to rest outside a hazard; (iii) rolls onto and comes to rest on a putting green; (iv) rolls and comes to rest out of bounds; (v) rolls to and comes to rest in a position where there is interference by the condition from which relief was taken under Rule 24-2b (immovable obstruction), Rule 25-1 (abnormal ground conditions), Rule 25-3 (wrong putting green) or a Local Rule (Rule 33-8a), or rolls back into the pitch-mark from which it was lifted under Rule 25-2 (embedded ball); (vi) rolls and comes to rest more than two club-lengths from where it first struck a part of the course; or (vii) rolls and comes to rest nearer the hole than: (a) its original position or estimated position (see Rule 20-2b) unless otherwise permitted by the Rules; or (b) the nearest point of relief or maximum available relief (Rule 24-2, 25-1 or 25-3); or (c) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or lateral water hazard (Rule 26-1). If the ball when re-dropped rolls into any position listed above, it must be placed as near as possible to the spot where it first struck a part of the course when re-dropped.

That "first struck the course" is two clublengths (max) away from the hazard, then it can roll another two clublengths. If it stops right at two (and all the other conditions are met), it's in play. To the OP: I'm hoping it's a lateral (red) water hazard, not a yellow. Yellow doesn't give you the two clublengths option. You never said "lateral," just "hazard," so I'm assuming it's yellow, making the question moot.

[Powertop]

To the OP: I'm hoping it's a lateral (red) water hazard, not a yellow. Yellow doesn't give you the two clublengths option. You never said "lateral," just "hazard," so I'm assuming it's yellow, making the question moot.

I meant to ask about drops and redropping in general but good catch

[Yukari]

My apologies for my ignorance. And all this time, I thought it had to come to rest withing 2 club length of the hazard. Now I know it can actually be upto 4 club length from the hazard.

That is good to know. I can take an advantage of this rule during a tournament!

[MiniMoe]

The only time you need to re-drop is if the ball comes to rest closer to the hole, if the ball rolls back into the hazard, if the ball rolls more than two club lengths after it strikes the course., or if it hits you or your equipment. If the ball hits you or your equipment, there is no penalty and the drop does not count. You start over from scratch.