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Taking unplayable on a bad lie in a bunker. Did you ever , would you, why not?

rollin

rollin

"Just playin golf pally"
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Every so often in the world of weekend warriors someone ends up perhaps heavily buried in a bunker sidewall or perhaps under a lip, or whatever terrible situation most people have liitle to no chance of ever getting out of. Unfortunately what most do pretty much every single time is think they can manage to somehow perform magic they have no business even attempting.

I do realize some people do not know taking a penalty and an unplayable is an option. That said, many people do know of it and yet instead of taking the option they still attempt the shot anyway only to (99% of the time) end up almost as bad or perhaps even worse or at very least often only a tad better but still extremely low percentage play. Then what happens from there is they attempt it again and so on and of course the whole process ends up a giant mess of a blowup hole. Been there done that myself.

But nowadays there is the rarest occasion when that bad I will take the penalty and a drop. Its simply the smarter play to help best save the score and strokes for what otherwise is a most certain disaster of a hole.

So I ask, why are we so stubborn when other options are available?
Do you, did you ever, would you take an unplayable for the rare worst bunker scenarios?
 
I have definitely taken an unplayable in this situation..
 
Where would the drop be?
 
Because ESC.

If it's a match, I will take unplayable.
 
moosejaa said:
Where would the drop be?
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Either back where you played your last shot or within 2 club lengths no closer to the hole AND still in the bunker.
 
I have had to once or twice i think
 
I have done it. The best course of action is to avoid the bunkers. Haha
 
I'm stubborn... I'm rarely playing for anything too crazy... if it was stroke play I would consider it... but otherwise I'm going for the hero shot
 
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rollin said:
Every so often in the world of weekend warriors someone ends up perhaps heavily buried in a bunker sidewall or perhaps under a lip, or whatever terrible situation most people have liitle to no chance of ever getting out of. Unfortunately what most do pretty much every single time is think they can manage to somehow perform magic they have no business even attempting.

I do realize some people do not know taking a penalty and an unplayable is an option. That said, many people do know of it and yet instead of taking the option they still attempt the shot anyway only to (99% of the time) end up almost as bad or perhaps even worse or at very least often only a tad better but still extremely low percentage play. Then what happens from there is they attempt it again and so on and of course the whole process ends up a giant mess of a blowup hole. Been there done that myself.

But nowadays there is the rarest occasion when that bad I will take the penalty and a drop. Its simply the smarter play to help best save the score and strokes for what otherwise is a most certain disaster of a hole.

So I ask, why are we so stubborn when other options are available?
Do you, did you ever, would you take an unplayable for the rare worst bunker scenarios?
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Because we see pros do pull off these types of shots and make it look easy, so we think we can, but we are not that good.

Or maybe if we did pull it off, serious bragging rights.

Or maybe

Because Internet Golfer...

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I've done it twice this year on the same course. I don't mind trying the hero shot in a casual round, but in both instances it was just impossible to advance the ball in any direction. Took unplayables.
 
I've never done it, but I suppose if I might think about it if I was in a competitive situation of some kind. But it would have to be pretty bad because I don't particularly like the idea of taking a drop in a bunker, which seems pretty likely to end up in some sort of fried egg lie (even if it's not as bad as the original) unless the sand is wet or hard.
 
I have not.....but at least once I should have because I swung like three times trying to get out of the bunker. It was under the lip and pretty much an impossible shot.

I appreciate that you brought it up and that captaincaution quoted the rule. Now I remember, you can take one stroke and move the ball back in the bunker....but still be in the bunker. Taking the stroke and being out in two makes sense instead of frenetically swinging away in a fit of rage and costing yourself all those strokes. lol.
 
I've done it dozens of times and will continue to whenever the situation warrants that.
 
I have, had a raised bunker in front of the green. Was probably a yard short in carry, and the ball plugged under the lip. I might have dislodged it had I swung but I also might have injured myself.

Took a drop in the bunker, got on the green, 2 putted and made a double. Not ideal, but no way it would have been better if I would have hacked at it.
 
I have taken an unplayable in a bunker before and would/will do it again if the need arises.
 
I have never but one i definitely should have
 
I definitely have, and would do it again. The one I can recall had the ball buried (ie. less than a dime size visible) directly under the firm dirt of the lip. If I swung I was either going to break my wrist or my club and likely just jam the ball further under the lip. No thanks!
 
I've done it twice in competition. Once I was plugged in the lip and the other time my ball actually barried in the sand completely. Only reason I found it is I saw exactly where it landed. Had to prod the sand with a tee to find it.
 
If I'm playing a stroke play tournament or betting I am taking the unplayable. Casual round with friends or by myself I'm going for it, why not.
 
I probably would take the one stroke penalty and hit again from where my last shot was hit.
 
luvagoodshot said:
I probably would take the one stroke penalty and hit again from where my last shot was hit.
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Stroke and Distance? Wow, I will play you any time!!
I would take my unplayable penalty, drop, and do my best. ESPECIALLY if I am playing a par 3 - the ESC would be 7 on that hole, no point in ruining a perfectly good double bogey by making a quad.
 
I've taken a penalty and dropped in the bunker once years ago with a ball buried right under the sod. I like to think it worked out better than trying to play it. Earlier this year I ran into the situation where I plugged another ball under the lip but because of where it was it was impossible to drop it in the bunker without being closer to the hole. In hindsight I should've turned my back to the green and tried to gouge it back toward the fairway with a baseball swing. I might've at least dislodged it and left it in the trap. Instead I lined up at the pin (only about 25 feet away) and hacked straight down hard on the lip. About broke my wrist and skulled a liner that shot OOB into someone's flower bed.
 
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I've done it a handful of times. #7 at True Blue comes to mind.
 
Spivey said:
Stroke and Distance? Wow, I will play you any time!!
I would take my unplayable penalty, drop, and do my best. ESPECIALLY if I am playing a par 3 - the ESC would be 7 on that hole, no point in ruining a perfectly good double bogey by making a quad.
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I'm not a good bunker player, but if I tee it up again on a par 3, who knows I still might be able to walk away with a bogey on the hole or a double
 
luvagoodshot said:
I'm not a good bunker player, but if I tee it up again on a par 3, who knows I still might be able to walk away with a bogey on the hole or a double
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Yeah, I don't have that confidence. My iron game needs work, and my bunker play is not terrible (any more).
 
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