I often receive questions concerning the different options available for a ball in an unplayable lie:
a- Proceed under Stroke and Distance.
b- Drop a ball behind the point, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped.
c- Drop a ball within two club length of the spot where the ball lay.
These are the basic options but I must clarify certain situations:
a- Ball unplayable in a bunker
If the player chooses option b or c, he must drop a ball in the bunker. He may not get out of the bunker. Option a is available also.
b- Ball unplayable in a water hazard
The only option available is a. In the following situation there is a lake between our ball and the green. I hit my ball almost over the lake at a few inches from the limit of the hazard very close to the green. I am not allowed to declare my ball unplayable and use the 2 club-length option if the ball lies in the hazard. I must return where the ball last crossed the limit of the hazard very close to the tee.
c- Ball unplayable again after dropping under any of the options
In this unfortunate situation the player must under another one-stroke penalty use any of the options. He may also use the option a.
d- Ball unplayable and we had previously played a provisional ball
This rule is not well known: If you find your original ball in any position, the provisional ball is dead. If the player decides to use option a he must abandon the provisional ball and return to the previous area and put a ball in play under Stroke and Distance.
e- Jordan Spieth at the Open
In a very long ruling, Spieth took advantage of option b. There is no limit how far back a player may drop a ball under this option. In the near future I will give more explanations on this rule.
Mary
You only have 5 minutes to find your ball. Do you then have 20 minutes or more to decide where and how you are going to play your next shot, as Jordan Speith did?
Édouard Rivard
Speith knows his rules and takes advantage of them. I think the rules officials should do a better job, no reason to take 20 minutes to make a ruling. It is not the first time. He also has issues with Pace of Play.