Whats the ruling here?

Nozebleed

Played in a fourball today and one lad got his ball plugged in a bank when playing a pitch shot into the green. Now the bank is steep 45degree angling back towards the water,hazard marked with yellow stakes. The ball was about 1ft up the bank. Now 2 of the lads believed he was entitled to a free drop,no penalty..but they then said he must drop at the nearest point of relief..but if he dropped at the nearest point of relief the ball would just roll back into the water. The lads then said if the ball rolls back into the water from his free drop he would incur a penalty..
I was under the impression you could scoop a plugged ball out with your finger,and play it without cleaning..maybe thats a winter rule only. But i dont know. Can any of you guys clarify this?

SnowDrifts

Did the ball plug in the hazard or outside of it? If the ball plugged inside the hazard, you get no free relief and must proceed under rule 26 (water hazard relief) as normal.

Nozebleed

SnowDrifts wrote: »

Did the ball plug in the hazard or outside of it? If the ball plugged inside the hazard, you get no free relief and must proceed under rule 26 (water hazard relief) as normal.

Ooo..im gona say it plugged outside the hazard. As the stakes run along the waters edge.

Felexicon

If he takes a drop and the ball rolls back in to the hazard he must redrop with no penalty.

Ronney

Free drop for plugged balls only applies to fairways/closely mown areas through the green.

Some courses and the pga tour have a local rule allowing a free drop for balls plugged in the rough.

Ball dropped rolling into a hazard is just re dropped. See link

http://www.randa.org/en/Playing-Golf/Quick-Guide-to-the-Rules/Lifting-Dropping-and-Placing-the-Ball.aspx

If it rolls in a second time after dropping, ball is placed at a point where it first hit the ground when dropped

SnowDrifts

Nozebleed wrote: »

Ooo..im gona say it plugged outside the hazard. As the stakes run along the waters edge.

Oh ok... well then it depends if there is a local rule for plugged balls. You do get free relief from a plugged ball in a closely mown area (fairway height or less) but I'm guessing this bank was not closely mown and was probably semi-rough.

Now if there was a local rule for plugged balls through the green (any length of grass), then he could drop the ball as near as possible to where it plugged but not closer to the hole. It will most likely role into the hazard and then you should drop again and if it rolls once more into the hazard, you place it.

Nozebleed

Thanks guys.