[evammaUselp]

I couple years ago I was subing in a golf league and came to a very short par three. I grabbed a wedge and hammered it into a slight breeze, the ball flight was very high and the ball ended up landed in a bunker behind the green.

When we got to the bunker no one could find the ball, it was not visible at all, I began to dig out the area where I thought the ball had landed and it was easily an inch or two deep. I had seen this in a tournament last summer but I was in a bar and couldnt hear what the ruling was. Does anyone know what to do in this situation?

[Assunkkensatt]

I think you have to replace the ball once you find it and put some sand back on it.

[Keendwainge]

Recreate the original lie, then play your shot.

[j2Y6Ysmb]

Put it in the rough next to the bunker lol it's easier to hit from there and if noone saw you do it you're good ......

[Maserati]

Recreate the original lie, then play your shot.

Did he test the sand when he was digging?

[Gskdmidd]

I couple years ago I was subing in a golf league and came to a very short par three. I grabbed a wedge and hammered it into a slight breeze, the ball flight was very high and the ball ended up landed in a bunker behind the green.

When we got to the bunker no one could find the ball, it was not visible at all, I began to dig out the area where I thought the ball had landed and it was easily an inch or two deep. I had seen this in a tournament last summer but I was in a bar and couldnt hear what the ruling was. Does anyone know what to do in this situation?

Rake the sand away with your club until a small portion of the ball is visible. No penalty. If you accidentally move the ball while raking, replace the ball and recover with the sand. No penalty.

[Todilrdc]

Put it in the rough next to the bunker lol it's easier to hit from there and if noone saw you do it you're good ......

That would be called cheating.

[Keendwainge]

Did he test the sand when he was digging?

No penalty if it's done during the search.

12-1. Searching for Ball; Seeing Ball

In searching for his ball anywhere on the course, the player may touch or bend long grass, rushes, bushes, whins, heather or the like, but only to the extent necessary to find and identify it, provided that this does not improve the lie of the ball, the area of his intended stance or swing or his line of play.

A player is not necessarily entitled to see his ball when making a stroke.

In a hazard, if a ball is believed to be covered by loose impediments or sand, the player may remove by probing or raking with a club or otherwise, as many loose impediments or as much sand as will enable him to see a part of the ball. If an excess is removed, there is no penalty and the ball must be re-covered so that only a part of the ball is visible. If the ball is moved during the removal, there is no penalty; the ball must be replaced and, if necessary, re-covered.

[evammaUselp]

Thanks everyone, hopefully I do not encounter this situation again but if I do at least now I know how to play it! Although I don't think I'll want to try to hit it, lol

[Keendwainge]

Interestingly this almost happened to Steve Stricker on 18 yesterday at the Accenture. He plugged his ball deeply in the lip of the greenside bunker, and had to brush sand away to see his identification mark. He had the RO right there watching to be sure that he did nothing against the rules in the process.

[evammaUselp]

Interestingly this almost happened to Steve Stricker on 18 yesterday at the Accenture. He plugged his ball deeply in the lip of the greenside bunker, and had to brush sand away to see his identification mark. He had the RO right there watching to be sure that he did nothing against the rules in the process.

I saw that last night and immediately thought of my post yesterday, I just caught the end of it so again I didn’t get to hear the ruling. Although it looked like he had a lot of his ball showing out of the sand, more than I would have thought after reading these posts