Can I still go back to the tee?

puttnfool

Ok, so, if you read my post from my other thread (titled "The 70's are lurking..." now) I explain there about a situation I was in today and not sure if I had any other option.

So, I hooked my tee shot on a par 3 and ended up about 10' inside the tree line and down a hill toward a creek. I opted to hit the ball instead of returning to the tee and hitting again (under an unplayable lie declaration). So, after 4 shots, I still wasn't able to make it up out of the creek bed.

My question, after I hit the 2nd shot, I lose the option of returning to the tee, right?

If I had called the ball unplayable after the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th shot, what options would I have?

One club length no closer to the hole would not have helped.
Keeping the point between me and the hole and going backward wouldn't have helped either, I don't think.

I think I was screwed once I hit it the first time in the creek bed.

PA-PLAYA

puttnfool

You'd have the option to go back to the tee after declaring the initial shot unplayable. Beyond that (after playing the second shot), you then have the option of taking an unplayable lie and going back to where you played your last shot, or assuming the 1-shot penalty and taking your 2 club-lengths of relief no closer to the hole. Or... going back on a line however far you wish, keeping the point where you played your last shot between yourself and the hole, under a 1-shot penalty as well.

Or at least that's the way I understand your situation and the applicable rules anyway.

fnufan

puttnfool

Why didn't you declare and play a provisional before leaving the tee. It would save a lot of hassle with people like Tinker

eltigrecda

puttnfool
You said you were in a creek bed, so I think you might have been able to go back to the tee under the Water Hazard rule (26.2 a):

If a ball played from within a water hazard comes to rest in the same or another water hazard after the stroke, the player may:
(i) under penalty of one stroke, play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the last stroke from outside a water hazard was made

A water hazard does not have to be marked - it just has to meet the definition of a water hazard. If the margins of a water hazard are not marked (which is normal when the hazard is in the woods), the "natural margin" is used. Based on your description of the area this would probably be the top of the hill that leads down to the creek.

puttnfool

Yeah, that's what I got after I thought about it a bit more. With that in mind, my only good option would've been a 145ish yard shot over trees from the next fairway over. I'm not sure that would have even been feasible. I definitely learned a hard lesson on that one. It'll haunt me for a while. Like I said, though, iny other post, at least I recovered quickly and didn't squander the entire round.

Tinker

Unless it's an important tournament I'd have a problem with anyone coming back to the tee if I'm waiting to hit

Weirfan

fnufan

A provisional ball could have been played off the tee if the OP felt that his original ball was not going to be found but the provisional ball MUST be abandoned once the original ball was found. You cannot use a provisional for an unplayable ball. You can however, go back to the tee as an option , but only AFTER declaring the original ball as unplayable.

GLFTPS

fnufan You can only hit a provisional ball for a potentially lost ball or out of bounds. If you find your ball and declare it unplayable, you have the three options. Go back to original shot location, take a drop two club lengths from where the ball is and go back directly keeping the location of the ball and the hole in a straight line.

puttnfool

Yeah, I should have. I honestly thought I carried it far enough to be in the bunker.

I even told my playing partner that after it was all said and done, I should have just gone back. We ended up waiting for nearly 15 minutes on the next tee for a couple of old retirees searching for balls. It wouldn't have held us up anymore at all.

That's not part of this discussion, though, it's way too late for that.

puttnfool

eltigrecda

That's intriguing. While I did check for stakes before going in, I didn't realize that it may have been possible to go back to the tee after I'd made 3 or 4 strokes at the ball. I'll have to read up on this more.

Hmmm... where's @atticusfinch when ya need him?

PA-PLAYA

puttnfool

Would rule 26-2/2 apply here?

Not sure. And given the situation, not sure it would've made much of a difference regarding the score you took for the hole.

fnufan

Providing the creek was a WH then yes, clause (e) of 26-2/2 would apply.
But the OP doesn't suggest the ball ever exited the WH. So there would be no need to resort to the decision. 26-2(a) applies.

puttnfool

fnufan at what point would Creek NOT be a WH?

fnufan

Sorry, I'm not sure why I wrote that. 😳

shawnfoley

You are correct. Once you elect to try to play that ball out of the hazard, you are stuck until you can get the ball out of the hazard whether that be from hitting the ball out or from taking a number of unplayable lies, inching closer to the hazard line clublength by clublength. Sometimes those drops seem painful but this definitely ads some suspense to trying to play a ball out of a water hazard!

Hope this helps!

Shawn Foley
CEO - rainorshinegolf.com

fnufan

shawnfoley Once you elect to try to play that ball out of the hazard, you are stuck until you can get the ball out of the hazard whether that be from hitting the ball out or from taking a number of unplayable lies,

Not so.

26-2. Ball Played Within Water Hazard
a. Ball Comes to Rest in Same or Another Water Hazard
If a ball played from within a water hazard comes to rest in the same or another water hazard after the stroke, the player may:
(i) under penalty of one stroke, play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the last stroke from outside a water hazard was made (see Rule 20-5); or
(ii) proceed under Rule 26-1a, 26-1b or, if applicable, Rule 26-1c, incurring the penalty of one stroke under that Rule. For purposes of applying Rule 26-1b or 26-1c, the reference point is the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the hazard in which it lies.

But the same does not apply to a bunker. Once you've made a stroke in a bunker you are there for life unless you can hit it out.

raggmann54

Was this in tournament play of some sort or did you have a satchel full of money riding on the outcome of the game??? If so, follow all the rules that even the Supreme Court would have trouble interpreting. If just a couple of guys out enjoying the game and day, grab the ball, walk out of the woods, place 2 club lengths from edge of woods and hit the ball. Take a 1 or 2 stroke penalty, agreeable with playing partner and move on. It is a game to be enjoyed, so enjoy it in the late September weather we are having.

Weirfan

raggmann54

pefcectly fine as long as the score is not entered for handicap purposes. I have many friends who don't keep one and will play by whatever rules they make up.

if you are keeping a handicap then you are obligated to play according to the rules.

puttnfool

raggmann54 Not sure what the scenario really has to do with anything. Do you only play chess by the rules when you're playing for money? What about checkers? Monopoly? Heck, any game worth playing is worth playing by the rules.

eltigrecda

puttnfool To be fair, when you play chess, checkers, Monopoly or almost any other sport - you are playing against an OPPONENT. Playing by the rules is much more important in those situations.

When you play non-competitive, stroke-play golf and do not keep a handicap (i.e., your score will not be used in future competitions against future opponents or competitors), then you're just hitting balls around the course for fun - and there is nothing really wrong with that.

puttnfool

eltigrecda you're just hitting balls around the course for fun

Exactly. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's just not golf.