unplayable lie rule

[hacker1]

this is regard to hitting a ball into the bush on a very sharp dog leg
If you find your ball in the bush and you decide to take an unplayable
you have one of three options of dropping your ball keeping the spot
between you and the hole
If this true can you actually drop your ball back into the fairway
if you read to the letter of the rules then you can ( does not make common sense)
can someone tell me if this is possible

thanks dave

[spidey]

Your three options under penalty of one stroke are:

1) Drop within 2 clublengths in any direction but not nearer the hole;

2) Keeping the spot where the ball lies between you and the hole, go back as far as you like and drop on that line. (If that gets you to a fairway, you can drop it there).

3) Play from where you last played.

[1dash1]

If this true can you actually drop your ball back into the fairway
if you read to the letter of the rules then you can ( does not make common sense) ...

Dave:

It doesn't make "common sense" because you're under the false impression that the rules differentiate between the rough and the fairway. With few exceptions, the rules make no such distinction.*

Think about it, when your ball comes to rest in the rough, do the rules change from your ball that might have otherwise come to rest in the fairway? Of course not. So, why would the rules change when proceeding to take relief?

* - Exceptions:
The one notable exception being when the local rule for "preferred lies" or "winter rules" is in effect. Hopefully, you do not use this local rule and need never get involved in exceptional situations.

[jvincent]

Knowing your options on an unplayable can also be very useful.

Sometimes dropping back 20 or 30 yards in the fairway is better than being two clubs lengths away from a big tree.

[jonf]

very interesting....I'm going to have to keep that rule in mind

[Started2k3]

Yup, should have used this rule on the weekend.

Manderley South #7
- tee shot strong fade into the long grass in the lateral ditch
- God only knows how, but we found the ball
- What I did: hacked at the ball and got it to the edge but still in trouble, same again and topped it, another try and finally knocked it 45yds up the fairway - 3 strokes
- What I should have done: declared unplayable ball, marked the spot and dropped in the low cut rough on the far side of the ditch - laying 2 but I would be alot less frustrated