There will likely be situations where you find your ball in a spot where you cannot play it. When this happens, you have the option to take an unplayable ball relief. This is taken when the ball is in the general area (this cannot be done if the ball is in a penalty area). You are able to take an unplayable ball anywhere in the general area. After deeming your ball unplayable, you have three options for relief under Rule 19. These options are:
- Stroke and distance relief: this option has the player replay the shot from where they last played under a one stroke penalty.
- Back-on-the-line relief: this option has the player draw a line from where their ball is resting to the flag stick. The player is able to go as far back on this line as they would like and drop within one club length of the desired spot, no closer to the hole, under a one stroke penalty.
- Lateral relief: this option has the player take two club lengths from where the ball is resting, no closer to the hole under a one stroke penalty.
There is an additional relief option for a ball deemed unplayable in a bunker. The options available to you if your ball is in the bunker are the following:
- Stroke and distance relief: this option has the player replay the shot from where they last played under a one stroke penalty.
- Back-on-the-line relief: this option has the player draw a line from where their ball is resting to the flag stick. The player is able to go as far back on this line as they would like as long as they remain in the bunker and drop within one club length of the desired spot, no closer to the hole, under a one stroke penalty.
- Lateral relief: this option has the player take two club lengths from where the ball is resting, no closer to the hole under a one stroke penalty. The ball must be kept in the bunker for this option.
- Back-on-the-line relief out of the bunker: his option has the player draw a line from where their ball is resting to the flag stick. The player is able to go as far back on this line as they would like, exiting the bunker, and drop within one club length of the desired spot, no closer to the hole. If you take this option to exit the bunker, you receive a two stroke penalty.
Click here to watch the SOPGA Rules School video on unplayable ball relief.