Quick question folks.
My friend drove his tee shot into the woods. As he did not have a clear sight to the green, he picked up the ball and moved it in the opposite direction of the green, in a straight line until he was in the next fairway from which he hit a 9i, cleared the woods/trees and landed the ball onto the green. Of course he took a stroke for it.
Is this allowed?
I know you can do this is when you put a ball in the drink but did not know you can apply it to the woods. I thought you had to play it as it lies and if not playable, you drop the ball within 1 or 2 club lengths, depending on situation. No?
Thanks.

As long as he declared his ball unplayable he could proceed under the following rule.

RULE 28

The player may deem his ball unplayable at any place on the course, except when the ball is in a water hazard. The player is the sole judge as to whether his ball is unplayable.

If the player deems his ball to be unplayable, he must, under penalty of one stroke:

a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

b. Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or

c. Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.

nannerpuss!!!

If you declare the ball to be unplayable, you are always allowed 2 clubs lengths. Note that a ball in a water hazard can not be declared unplayable - you must follow the water hazard rule.

Thanks folks! Guess I should polish up on my R&A's rule book....

Sounds like he moved it sideways which is not allowable under the unplayable lie guidelines. He could have moved it straight back from where it lay in the woods towards the tee box and then hit from the right fairway (albeit probably in 6-iron territory) and taken his penalty stroke.

doesn't rule 28-b (above) say he can go anywhere behind the ball, keeping that point between him and the hole. if he misses to the right, wouldn't that have him going back more right, not back and to the left? hehe.

He could move it toward the tee box ONLY if the tee box was on the line between the hole and where the ball lies.

Please read post #2 which quotes the rule.

Sorry I did not clarify it better. His pushed his tee shot to the right, into the woods on a slight dog leg left. The then picked up the ball and moved it away from the hole, in a straight line with the ball position directly in between his new position and the hole which put him on the next fairway.

Good example of how knowing the rules can save you strokes. Most people I play with don't know the unplayable lie rule.

I think what you're seeing here with this post is a common misconception about the rules and about line of flight. So many people move their ball back towards the tee box in a situaton like this, versus moving it in a line back away from the hole, which is the correct use of the rules. You see the same thing in many people when they deal with hazards. Usually in most cases going back in the direction of the tee box gives a better line to the green, but obviously this is not what the rules say to do.

Agreed. Today just played a round and out of a hazard, the guy took the ball backwards but into the fairway for a clear sight to the green.... oh well.... as it was only a friendly game... no big issue....