Stuck against a bunker wall? The 2-penalty trick that will save your scorecard

Picture this: your ball lands in the bunker, but not just anywhere. It's embedded in the vertical lip, 30 cm from the edge, at an impossible angle. Trying to hit it is scorecard suicide. Many golfers resign themselves to 3, 4, or even 5 attempts in the sand. But there's a legal exit that almost nobody uses.

Rule 19.3b: Your Insurance Policy in the Bunker

When you declare an unplayable ball inside a bunker, the three standard options (stroke and distance, lateral relief, back-on-the-line relief) all require you to drop inside the bunker. In other words, you're still trapped.

But there's a hidden fourth option: drop outside the bunker on the back-on-the-line, keeping the ball's position between you and the flag.

The cost: 2 penalty strokes.

Sounds expensive? Think of it this way:

If you try to play it and fail twice inside the bunker, you've already spent 2 strokes plus the original shot.
With the 2-penalty relief, you pay the "insurance" and get out to the grass with a clean lie.
It's the smart play when the bunker is a death trap.

How Does the Drop Outside the Bunker Work?

Identify the spot where your ball sits inside the bunker.
Draw an imaginary line from the hole, through that spot, and extend it backwards.
Drop anywhere on that line outside the bunker, as far back as you want.
The ball must land and stay within one club-length of the drop point, no nearer to the hole.

The Mobility Device Hack

If you use a wheeled mobility device on the course (wheelchair, adapted scooter), this outside-the-bunker relief only costs you 1 penalty stroke instead of 2. The Rules of Golf recognise the additional difficulty of playing from sand with mobility restrictions.

When NOT to Use This Trick

When the lie is tough but playable: a good sand wedge shot is still cheaper than 2 penalties.
When the back-on-the-line takes you to a worse position outside the bunker (trees, water, thick rough).
When you're in Match Play and your opponent is in similar trouble: sometimes taking the risk is worth it.

Lazar Tip: Trapped in an impossible bunker? Take a photo of your lie and send it to Lazar. It will calculate whether the 2-penalty relief is better than risking a shot, based on your specific situation.