Final answer:
When a ball is deemed unplayable, the three options are to play it as it lies, take a penalty, or declare it unplayable and take a penalty.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a ball is deemed unplayable, you have three options:
- Play it as it lies: You can choose to play the ball as it is, without moving or altering it in any way. This is often the preferred option in most situations.
- Take a penalty: You can take a penalty stroke and move the ball to a better position. This is commonly done when the ball is in a difficult or undesirable location.
- Declare the ball unplayable: You can declare the ball unplayable and take a penalty stroke. This allows you to move the ball to a different location within certain prescribed options, such as dropping the ball within two club lengths of where it originally lay.