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Rules question · Rule 19.2 · Medium

Unplayable again after the drop: what now?

You take lateral relief for an unplayable ball. The dropped ball rolls but stays in the relief area, back under the same bush. What is the ruling?

Answer

You play it as it lies or take relief again for one more penalty stroke

Taking relief does not guarantee a good lie. If the ball comes to rest in the relief area, that is a new situation you must accept. Deciding again that it is unplayable costs another penalty stroke. For stroke-and-distance relief, the spot of your last stroke still applies.

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