Can an embedded ball be denied a free kick? Rules Guy

The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thank you, we have a guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book from front to back. Have a question? You have all the answers.

I took off, drove my ball under the ground, eight inches forward. When the ball is inserted, it gives relief. My opponent said it was unplayable, requiring a one stroke penalty. The Laws Guy says… —Aaron Lowe, via email

…considering a driver with more loft.

Rule 16.3a(2) states that a ball hit straight down the ground without being in the air is not embedded, and therefore the relief of the embedded ball is not allowed.

That said, if the ball lands on the tee — if you’re more than 8 inches behind the marker so your ball on the ground is still behind the marker — you can pick up the ball and put it back anywhere inside. teeing ground without penalty, hitting 2, under Rule 6.2b.

For more information from our guru, read on…

We have the world’s most unfair lodge in front of us on the 17th green. It’s seven feet deep, but that’s the easy part. Funnel-shaped, only .001″ of soil sits on the bottom. If I find myself in this abyss, I can raise my ball as unplayable, raise the sand on the base from the walls and drop my ball to play, one penalty stroke is too bad? Thanks for listening. – Bill Herrick, East Moriches, NY

The Rules Guy always tries to be a sympathetic ear, and we were with you for a while there — when you wanted to rule the ball unplayable and get a penalty relief. That is kosher.

But like the sand in your cruel house – “universally unfair” is certainly stretching things a bit – your request is eroded when you think about tearing up the sand where you plan to drop the ball, which, by improving your aid position, becomes true.

You need only drop the ball under one of the four options in Rule 19.3, three of which (stroke and distance, back to the line inside the bunker, relief on the side inside the bunker) call for one penalty stroke and the other (back to the relief line outside the bunker) two penalty strokes.

Other options: Try a sand wedge with less bounce or find a new home course.

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Have a question about the Rules? Ask the Rules Guy! Send your questions, confusion and comments to rulesguy@golf.com. We promise he won’t throw a letter at you.