Unique drop situation (narrow drop area b/w 2 hazards) - options for full relief
This happened to me while playing #18 at the Talon course at Greyhawk a few weeks back. If you're not familiar with the hole, water is in play down the right side of the course (basically) from tee to green.
Off the tee, I hit a slice that skipped through the large fairway bunker on the right, and rolled into the water. I found my ball in the water so I knew exactly where my point of entry was. At my point of entry, there is a tiny strip of land less than a yard wide between the red line of the lateral water hazard and the fairway bunker. Under lateral water rules, I know I am entitled to 2 club-lengths of relief no closer to the hole. Since, by taking maximum available relief (bullet c below), I could actually drop in another hazard (the fairway bunker). However - this appears to be conflicting with point (i) below - in trying to get full relief, it reads like I cannot drop in the other hazard. Or at least, I would not be getting "full relief" by dropping in the bunker.
My question is this. Since, of course, dropping into the bunker is still dropping into a hazard - was I entitled to relief on the other (left) side of the bunker equidistant from the hole? (which, incidentally, would have given me a lie in the fairway).
FYI, I placed my ball on the strip of land after twice dropping and having it roll back into the water hazard. This left me with a precarious stance where I had to stand on my tiptoes with my heels over the lip of the bunker - clearly not a situation where I was getting full relief, but not being 100% clear of my options, I chose this option as I knew it was legit and wanted to make sure the round was not stained in any way (I shot a then-PB that day :)). Instead of having a reasonable chance to go for the green on my next shot with a FW wood, I ended up getting back into play with a short iron - so I wonder if I possibly short-changed myself with the option I chose?
Thanks!
Rule 20-2. 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 reliefwas 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 itwas lifted under Rule 25-2 (embedded ball);
(vi) rolls and comes to rest more than two club-lengthsfrom 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).