Playing from fairway divots

thewobbler

Can anyone explain the underlying rationale behind having to play as it lies, from a fairway divot?

i do accept that some players will try to use it as an opportunity to “cheat”, and demand free relief from dubious lies.

But the reason I’ve placed “cheat” in inverted commas, surely a drop of a club length no closer to the hole, from a fairway lie to another fairway lie isn’t creating any meaningful advantage?

And any golfer that would willingly interpret such a rule to move his ball from say a hollow to a flatter stance, well they’re going to be found cheating elsewhere too, as that’s their nature.

golfguy1

any time a player can pick his ball up you are asking gor more cheating than already takes place.

it is a bit of bad luck to finish in divot. all part of the game

personally wouldnt like to see that rule come in but have a feeling it might at some stage

Cetyl Palmitate

They want to minimize the number of divots created

slave1

What you are outlining is common practice in the US, ball on fairway in divot, they will take it out and place next to divot on fresh grass. Watch the Good Good UK Major (if you know, you know) and a lad moves his ball a few inches then chips in and they celebrate)

Here, I think it's just one of those things where golf is not fair at times, rub of the green and all that. It's actually what I like about good weather golf, I don't bother touching the ball at all tee to hole unless in someone's line on the green, keep it movin!

FixdePitchmark

I just think it is part of the game , don't like placing under any circumstances...accepting ball embedded an exception.

I also view it as another skill , there is a particular art of playing out of a divot. And love when you pull it off.

I know freesh diviots are particularly unlucky, but a significant number of locations still have poor standards on divot bags and replacement.

willabur

I think its a silly rule personally, you hit a good shot and you get punished.

As it stands I just try to compress the ball more that I would normally, really try to blast the divot apart

Rikand

Fairway divots I don't mind. Rough divots are tough though

coillcam

I landed in divots twice yesterday. The first one was pretty much on my comfy GW number. I took my SW and put the ball slightly back with my hands forward, before putting as much force into it as possible. Doubled the size of the divot and the ball spun back. Ended up with a good result. Funnily enough the same happened on 18 and I was on my comfy SW number. Zero chance of connecting without ploughing my LW off the back foot, which I wasn't too excited about trying. Thankfully another good result but they both easily could have been duffed.

If I was further out and say 180 yds, I'd probably have to take my medicine and hit a 9/PW to lay up safely. I wouldn't feel comfortable driving a 7/6i through the divot. Equally, if it was 40 yards to the pin I'd find it hard to figure out the club and chip/pitch shot needed. While it's incredibly frustrating seeing your ball in a divot, I've come round to the idea that it's just another part of the game that depends on chance. We get plenty of good/bad bounces regularly anyway.

Miley Byrne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119474467#Comment_119474467

If you are in the habit of not cleaning your ball before putting then you will get a grain of sand between the ball and putter face sooner rather than later and that is not a pretty experience let me tell you. Especially on an 18 inch putt 😬

blue note

It's incredibly annoying, but just part of the game for me. People would absolutely take the piss if you could get relief from fairway divots, bit that's not even the reason I think you should get relief. Bad breaks are part of the game. And being in a divot is certainly one of those. The fact that they're man made and often due to someone being lazy or a bird picking out the divot make them doubly annoying, but that's just the way it is.

dan_ep82

I think if a 3rd of the ball is below the surface the option of dropping it 6" no nearer the hole is fair, if its just a scrape then no. The rough is meant to give a bad lie so the severity of it (thick rough vs big divot) is the chance you take when it goes in the rough.

Those that would abuse the rule are ones doing it now anyway. Think its a bad idea to base a rule on how it will be broken.