Stuck in a bush, wedged in a tree, buried in a bunker? You have options — but you need to know the rules first.

PGA Professional, Coach and Content Creator Hannah Davies walks through everything you need to know about declaring an unplayable ball. A must-watch for any golfer who’s ever frozen over a tricky lie and guessed.

Three Key Takeaways

You must find your ball first. You cannot declare an unplayable ball if you haven’t identified it. No ball, no option — it’s back to where you last played from, with a one-stroke penalty.

You have three relief options — and each costs one stroke. Stroke and distance (back to where you last played), back on the line (as far back as you like on the line between your ball and the hole), or lateral relief (drop within two club-lengths, no closer to the hole). In a bunker, the first two options must be taken inside the bunker — unless you go back on the line outside it, which is two strokes.

Unplayable is your call, anywhere except a penalty area. The decision is yours alone — but it comes with a penalty, so knowing your three options before you reach the ball saves time and strokes.

Watch Hannah explain this and more rules situations on the England Golf YouTube channel, and subscribe to Women & Golf for more instruction and rules content.