# Has a pro golfer ever dropped a ball back into a water hazard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 9, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-pro-golfer-ever-dropped-a-ball-back-into-a-water-hazard/399318 "2007-04-09T15:00:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-pro-golfer-ever-dropped-a-ball-back-into-a-water-hazard/399318/1 "2007-04-09T15:00:09Z")
In the final round of the Masters yesterday, Tiger Woods hit a shot into the water and had to play a drop. Where he dropped the ball seemed too close to the water for my comfort – seemed like a bad roll could have landed that drop right back into the drink. What do the rules of golf allow for a drop location? Has a pro ever had the ridiculously bad luck of having a drop roll right back into the water? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-pro-golfer-ever-dropped-a-ball-back-into-a-water-hazard/399318/2 "2007-04-09T15:35:50Z")
[QUOTE=bordelond] In the final round of the Masters yesterday, Tiger Woods hit a shot into the water and had to play a drop. Where he dropped the ball seemed too close to the water for my comfort – seemed like a bad roll could have landed that drop right back into the drink. What do the rules of golf allow for a drop location? Has a pro ever had the ridiculously bad luck of having a drop roll right back into the water? [/QUOTE] > [@USGA Rules of Golf](#): > > c. When to Re-Drop > A dropped ball must be re-dropped without penalty if it: > (i) rolls into and comes to rest in a hazard; (ii) rolls out of and comes to rest outside a hazard; (iii) rolls onto and comes to rest on a putting green; (iv) rolls and comes to rest out of bounds; (v) rolls to and comes to rest in a position where there is interference by the condition from which relief was taken under Rule 24-2b (immovable obstruction), Rule 25-1 (abnormal ground conditions), Rule 25-3 (wrong putting green) or a Local Rule (Rule 33-8a), or rolls back into the pitch-mark from which it was lifted under Rule 25-2 (embedded ball); (vi) rolls and comes to rest more than two club-lengths from where it first struck a part of the course; or (vii) rolls and comes to rest nearer the hole than: (a) its original position or estimated position (see Rule 20-2b) unless otherwise permitted by the Rules; or (b) the nearest point of relief or maximum available relief (Rule 24-2, 25-1 or 25-3); or (c) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or lateral water hazard (Rule 26-1). If the ball when re-dropped rolls into any position listed above, it must be placed as near as possible to the spot where it first struck a part of the course when re-dropped. > If a ball to be re-dropped or placed under this Rule is not immediately recoverable, another ball may be substituted. > Note: If a ball when dropped or re-dropped comes to rest and subsequently moves, the ball must be played as it lies, unless the provisions of any other Rule apply. So it must be re-dropped if it rolls into a hazard. Actually, Tiger dropped in a drop area at #15, relatively flat. It was Appleby at #12 who ran this risk. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2007, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-pro-golfer-ever-dropped-a-ball-back-into-a-water-hazard/399318/3 "2007-04-09T15:43:55Z")
[QUOTE=bordelond] Has a pro ever had the ridiculously bad luck of having a drop roll right back into the water? [/QUOTE] I’ve seen this happen, and there are some places (e.g. ground sloping toward water) where it’s hard to avoid. If it does, Rule 20 says that you re-drop without penalty. If you have the same problem with the re-drop, you then place the ball where the re-drop hit the ground. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-pro-golfer-ever-dropped-a-ball-back-into-a-water-hazard/399318/4 "2007-04-09T18:34:15Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] I’ve seen this happen, and there are some places (e.g. ground sloping toward water) where it’s hard to avoid. If it does, Rule 20 says that you re-drop without penalty. If you have the same problem with the re-drop, you then place the ball where the re-drop hit the ground. [/QUOTE] Yes, and some golfers will purposely try and trigger that rule since placing the ball will usually result in a better lie than if you have to drop it.