Unplayable Ball - USGA Rule 19 Explained

[markwoodruff]

This rule was updated in 2023. 19.2b has been changed to be dropping back exactly on the line (not one club length to either side of the line). The drop must be on the line with the ball ending up in a one club 360 degree radius is acceptable - even if the ball moves from the on line drop point to stop closer to the hole. Ask Rory - he got a two stroke penalty on the par 5 seventh hole at Spyglass at AT&T in 2024. He wrongly followed the 2019 rule in this video, and moved one club length off the line to get a clearer shot to the hole. Be sure to find a video that has the 2023 Rules Update of 19.2b!! Rory wishes he had know of the 19.2b 2023 updated rule.

[edwardebel]

Thanks for the explanation of these rules!

[DanielOkon-qjuc]

Thank you, sir i like your teachings God bless you thanks i love that ❤

[Unplugged]

Very well explained, especially distinguishing between the 1 club length for back-on-the-line vs 2 club length at the spot of the unplayable.

Thank you!

[sdestp]

For the 2 club length relief, can you drop your ball right at the edge of the 2 club lengths and take your stance outside of the 2 club lengths?

[gerrylawrence]

When taking unplayable in the bunker, can the player rake the bunker prior to dropping? Not to improve lie but to restore the condition of the sand.

[gojinny]

Thank you for the video. If ball goes over the green and spills into heavily wooded area where you can’t play it, how do you take a if there is no space for lateral or backward drop because it is dense forest. In other words only area you can drop will be closer to the hole than where the unplayable ball is lying.

[ranjitmirje]

Q. You marked the possible new position of the ball in option three with Tee. Is it COMPULSORY to remove them before you make next stroke?

[kellydostillio]

When taking back on line of relief from the tree, if the line of relief puts you in the fairway are you allowed to drop in the fairway?? Or an adjacent fairway?

[richdiorio]

Thanks for the video! Does this rule apply to a ball in a sand trap?

[stooch]

What if you blade a shot from 100 yards out, it goes over the green…and is now unplayable…lateral option is not available because of bushes surrounding. Are you basically stuck with just doing stroke and distance in that case?

Seems so because option 2 means you have to keep the spot between you and the hole, and in this case going farther back behind the hole is not an option due to an OB fence.

Have I gotten it right?

[Unplugged]

Question about bunker player where there is water and there is no room to drop inside.

If taking relief outside the bunker, is it 1 or 2 stroke penalty?

[dylankerr]

Be careful with the back-on-the-line relief procedure, which has changed in the 2023 rules amendment. You must now drop the ball on the line and it may roll up to one club-length away from the line. So the drop in this video would no longer conform to the rules and you would then be playing a ball from the wrong spot, which incurs the general penalty (2 strokes),

[kentmolter]

I play on a course with a lot of spruce trees with ground-level branches. So the whole area under the branches is unplayable. If my ball ends up next to the trunk, it may still be unplayable even after two club lengths relief. Can I take two club lengths from outer edge of the tree instead of from where the ball actually lies?

[golflre]

What if you hit a ball in a penalty area and it becomes unplayable still in the penalty area? What do you do? Happened to me. My opponent let me play the red stake penalty options from the new ball position.

[neallirwin]

If it's unplayable just move it out and hit it some of us aren't playing for a million dollars

[ericfermin]

Option 2, you should be able to drop in a full 360, not a 180, as long as you are no closer to the hole from the original lie.