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:
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Identify your reference point right behind where the ball is embedded.
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Drop the ball within one club length, making sure it’s:
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Not nearer the hole,
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In the general area (not in the bunker).
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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.
When Nature Just Won’t Cooperate
If free relief turns into a circus and the ball remains stubbornly lodged—welcome the unplayable ball options under Rule 19.3:
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Stroke-and-distance (back to the last hit point),
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Back-on-the-line relief (even if it’s still inside the bunker),
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Lateral relief (within the bunker),
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Or, take a one-stroke penalty to drop outside the bunker—sometimes the cleverest choice of all.
The Humorous Takeaway
So next time your ball picks its own dramatic napping spot on the bunker face, 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.
