A player plays a stroke from Point A to Point B. Point B is in an area from which it is very difficult to extricate a ball. The player considers deeming the ball unplayable but this would result in a stroke-and-distance penalty (Rule 28a). Dropping behind under Rule 28b is impossible due to a boundary fence and dropping within two club-lengths under Rule 28c is not feasible because it would require a considerable number of such drops to escape the area. The player plays from Point B and moves the ball a few feet to Point C, where the ball is clearly unplayable. Under Rule 28a, may the player:

(a) deem the ball unplayable at Point C and drop a ball under penalty of one stroke at Point B, and then

(b) deem the ball unplayable at Point B and drop a ball, under an additional penalty of one stroke, at Point A?

No. Under Rule 28a, the player would be entitled to drop a ball only at the place from which he played his last stroke (Point B).

In the circumstances, the player's only alternative is to invoke Rule 28c a sufficient number of times (starting at Point C and dropping the ball sideways within two club-lengths each time) to get the ball into a playable position.