You stride up, confident and composed, only to find your ball cheekily nestled in the steep turf face above the bunker—visible, stubborn, and begging for attention. Before panic sets in, pause and channel your inner rules guru!

The Rulebook to the Rescue

According to Rule 16.3b, if your ball is embedded in the bunker’s face, lip, or wall, it’s not considered in the bunker proper—this lies in the general area. That means free embedded-ball relief is yours for the taking.

Here’s what to do next:

• Identify your reference point right behind where the ball is embedded.

• Drop the ball within one club length, making sure it’s:

  1. Not nearer the hole,

  2. In the general area (not in the bunker).
     

If that drop fails—because the face is too steep and the ball won’t stick—Rule 14.2e lets you re-drop. If it still won’t settle, place it at the nearest spot where it will—and that becomes your new ball position.

The Humorous Takeaway

So next time your ball picks its own dramatic napping spot on the face outside the bunker, don’t throw in the towel—play the rulebook. With a wink and a one-club-length drop, you might just laugh in the face of physics and rules alike.