Fairway divot rule

[Buzzkill]

I've had to suck it up several times after a piped drive only to find my ball in a divot - it hasn't happened that often in 40 years though!

[nsxguy]

I've had to suck it up several times after a piped drive only to find my ball in a divot - it hasn't happened that often in 40 years though!

 

True dat.

 

Have to wonder why it happens so often to high handicappers though. :dntknw:

 

Just bad luck ? :)

[Golfer4Life]

I'm amazed at the amount of professionals we have at WRX. I guess, as a 16 handicapper, I'll never have the honor of teeing up with you, lol....

 

Boy oh boy! Too funny!

[dlygrisse]

Anyone wonder why after all the rule changes and things they went through. Why did they skip addressing the silliness of this rule. I get golf is like luck of the draw but it's a difficulty not in the golf course design. Just always wondered why that couldn't be free drop. I hate when you see a tournament determined by one player piping down the middle And losing because they land in a divot.

 

What “fairway divot rule” are you specifically talking about?

[dlygrisse]

The problem is that it is called a fairway, so people mistakenly think it’s supposed to always be fair.

 

I'm amazed at the amount of professionals we have at WRX. I guess, as a 16 handicapper, I'll never have the honor of teeing up with you, lol....

 

Boy oh boy! Too funny!

Not sure exactly what you are implying?

[deadsolid...shank]

The problem is that it is called a fairway, so people mistakenly think it’s supposed to always be fair.

 

I'm amazed at the amount of professionals we have at WRX. I guess, as a 16 handicapper, I'll never have the honor of teeing up with you, lol....

 

Boy oh boy! Too funny!

Not sure exactly what you are implying?

 

I was wondering the same thing.

[deadsolid...shank]

I've had to suck it up several times after a piped drive only to find my ball in a divot - it hasn't happened that often in 40 years though!

 

Same here. And what’s funny, the few times I have been in one, I’ve usually hit a pretty decent shot. Really seem to stay focused on the shot.

[dlygrisse]

The problem is that it is called a fairway, so people mistakenly think it’s supposed to always be fair.

 

I'm amazed at the amount of professionals we have at WRX. I guess, as a 16 handicapper, I'll never have the honor of teeing up with you, lol....

 

Boy oh boy! Too funny!

Not sure exactly what you are implying?

 

I was wondering the same thing.

Must be an inside joke between him and himself.

[Newby]

On tour, they never have a footprint lie in a bunker.

 

On tour, they play the best maintained courses, with caddies to replace divots and maint staff to sand divots after each round.

Most tour pros take shallow divots. Thus we seldom see a tour player play from a deep wide open divot, like we see on our public courses.

 

That of course is down to us, the punters.

We pay, either directly or indirectly (via TV) massive amounts of cash to provide all these facilities to these elite golfers.

There are three remedies.

i) Don't pay

ii) Practice to get good enough to join their ranks and enjoy the benefits.

iii) Pay more to play on courses that can afford to employ the staff necessary to maintain pristine conditions.

[Vindog]

No. I do not wonder.

[bladehunter]

I'm amazed at the amount of professionals we have at WRX. I guess, as a 16 handicapper, I'll never have the honor of teeing up with you, lol....

 

Boy oh boy! Too funny!

 

??? what deos this mean ? you know most groups of club players roll it anyway , right ? so its not as if the ones complaining are really effected anyway .. They just want to be justified in their rolling of the ball.

[rjp1969]

I play muni courses primarily. In Minnesota. So all spring we play LCP in the fairway. Because it's so wet. Mud balls and having to take casual water relief from the fairway to the rough gets old real fast. All fall we play LCP in the fairway also. Due to it being wet.

 

In local tournies at 4 different courses I play each year, they always play LCP in the fairways. They don't want a guy to lose because he stripes it down the middle and ends up in a divot so deep, or chickweed so gnarly, that it possibly costs him the tourney. 2 of those courses have the LCP local rule year round. They just aren't going to spend the money to re-sod places that need it. Or dig up chickweed patches, re-sod and re-seed. They have enough work keeping the greens perfect and moving cups and mowing nearly every day.

 

I really don't see a downside to LCP in your own fairway as a Rule full time. Everyone scores better. Divots are more easily replaced which will keep the course looking nicer. It's completely equitable to everyone. It makes it easier to score for players that have bad swings and don't hit down on the ball. It's also the goal of the game. Hit the fairway, hit the green, putt it in, repeat. There should be a reward for hitting the fairway besides "you might have a better lie and better angle than someone in the rough. Might." You should be guaranteed a better lie because you aced the exam that is the tee shot.

 

Just do away with "divot-talk". Playing LCP gets rid of all the whining we read in here nearly daily.

 

I'm sure, once LCP is enacted golf-wide, players will want to start wanting relief from divots in the rough. I'll still be against that. You want a good lie? Hit it in the fairway. It's like people that complain about bad lies in bunkers. One course I play has a local rule of lift, rake, and place in the bunkers. I hate that. Don't like potential lie, don't hit it in the bunker. The rules don't require you to play your ball into a bunker. Hit the fairway, hit the green, putt it in.

 

I could be convinced to support this if it works both ways. If you hit in the rough and get a good lie, will you be sure to step on it before hitting it? You failed the exam off the tee, didn't you?

[Roadking2003]

Anyone wonder why after all the rule changes and things they went through. Why did they skip addressing the silliness of this rule. I get golf is like luck of the draw but it's a difficulty not in the golf course design. Just always wondered why that couldn't be free drop. I hate when you see a tournament determined by one player piping down the middle And losing because they land in a divot.

Rather than hammer the OP for his rather redundant first post (I'm moderately new here myself), I will ask him a question. Please define, if you will, what a divot hole is, whether you get relief if its filled with sand or divot mic, and at what time it has grown back enough that it ceases to be grounds for relief. And if you discover that its impossible to write a clear enforceable rule, please let us know that as well.

And welcome to WRX

 

My solution avoids this problem; just let golfers move the ball six inches not closer to the hole through the green.

 

Problem solved and the game of golf wouldn't be harmed at all.

[rogolf]

One of the principles of the game - play the ball as it lies unless a Rule provides otherwise. (Don't hold your breath for a Rule to provide otherwise for divot holes).

[Shilgy]

All that you seek, or have to say, is likely in this thread:

 

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1451688-id-like-to-legally-move-my-ball-out-of-the-stupid-divotyou/page__fromsearch__1

[I_HATE_SNOW]

How about lift clean and place for every shot? Rub of the green is part of the game.

[dlygrisse]

I'm amazed at the amount of professionals we have at WRX. I guess, as a 16 handicapper, I'll never have the honor of teeing up with you, lol....

 

Boy oh boy! Too funny!

 

??? what deos this mean ? you know most groups of club players roll it anyway , right ? so its not as if the ones complaining are really effected anyway .. They just want to be justified in their rolling of the ball.

 

I think he’s confusing golf, with Top Golf.

[nsxguy]

 

My solution avoids this problem; just let golfers move the ball six inches not closer to the hole through the green.

 

Problem solved and the game of golf wouldn't be harmed at all.

 

How about lift clean and place for every shot? Rub of the green is part of the game.

 

Pretty much what Roadking2003 has suggested,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, for a long time now,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Or were you just being sarcastic ? :dntknw:

[I_HATE_SNOW]

My solution avoids this problem; just let golfers move the ball six inches not closer to the hole through the green.

 

Problem solved and the game of golf wouldn't be harmed at all.

 

How about lift clean and place for every shot? Rub of the green is part of the game.

 

Pretty much what Roadking2003 has suggested,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, for a long time now,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Or were you just being sarcastic ? :dntknw:

Yes, I'd like to see the ball never touched until on the green, unless a penalty stroke is involved.

[rogolf]

My solution avoids this problem; just let golfers move the ball six inches not closer to the hole through the green.

 

Problem solved and the game of golf wouldn't be harmed at all.

 

How about lift clean and place for every shot? Rub of the green is part of the game.

 

Pretty much what Roadking2003 has suggested,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, for a long time now,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Or were you just being sarcastic ? :dntknw:

Yes, I'd like to see the ball never touched until on the green, unless a penalty stroke is involved.

 

As it should be.......just keep playing.

[jhfulton20]

Play it up in the fairway and down everywhere else.

[jlbos83]

Just find the ball and hit the ball. How often does this really happen? I play on municipal public courses, not in great shape, though not awful, and I can't even remember the last time. What is ironic is that a lot of the the same people that think the rules are too complicated want to add another one.

[2bGood]

I've had to suck it up several times after a piped drive only to find my ball in a divot - it hasn't happened that often in 40 years though!

 

Same here. And what’s funny, the few times I have been in one, I’ve usually hit a pretty decent shot. Really seem to stay focused on the shot.

 

Part of the issue is peoples attitude. Some guys see their ball in a divot and right away start moaning about the bad break and decide they are going to hit bad shot right away. Other of us rise to the challenge and approach it as an opportunity to hit a different type of shot.

 

You HAVE to LOVE the shot you are going to hit, regardless of what the lie is.

 

I also love how bead shots from a divot are the fault of the divot, but bad I see the same player hitting bad shots from the tee box with as perfect of a lie as you can get. :taunt:

[deadsolid...shank]

I've had to suck it up several times after a piped drive only to find my ball in a divot - it hasn't happened that often in 40 years though!

 

Same here. And what’s funny, the few times I have been in one, I’ve usually hit a pretty decent shot. Really seem to stay focused on the shot.

 

Part of the issue is peoples attitude. Some guys see their ball in a divot and right away start moaning about the bad break and decide they are going to hit bad shot right away. Other of us rise to the challenge and approach it as an opportunity to hit a different type of shot.

 

You HAVE to LOVE the shot you are going to hit, regardless of what the lie is.

 

I also love how bead shots from a divot are the fault of the divot, but bad I see the same player hitting bad shots from the tee box with as perfect of a lie as you can get. :taunt:

 

You are so right. Mindset is huge on playing that shot. So many people get so caught up in the fact that they caught a poor break that they never really give themselves a chance to hit a good shot. And if you do pull it off, it’s a very rewarding feeling.

[Roadking2003]

One of the principles of the game - play the ball as it lies unless a Rule provides otherwise. (Don't hold your breath for a Rule to provide otherwise for divot holes).

 

True, and we already have lots of rules that violate the "play the ball as it lies" principle.

 

How about lift clean and place for every shot? Rub of the green is part of the game.

 

Not always.

[Roadking2003]

My solution avoids this problem; just let golfers move the ball six inches not closer to the hole through the green.

 

Problem solved and the game of golf wouldn't be harmed at all.

 

How about lift clean and place for every shot? Rub of the green is part of the game.

 

Pretty much what Roadking2003 has suggested,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, for a long time now,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Or were you just being sarcastic ? :dntknw:

Yes, I'd like to see the ball never touched until on the green, unless a penalty stroke is involved.

 

So, play it off a cart path, etc?

 

And why allow touching it on the green?

[rogolf]

One of the principles of the game - play the ball as it lies unless a Rule provides otherwise. (Don't hold your breath for a Rule to provide otherwise for divot holes).

 

True, and we already have lots of rules that violate the "play the ball as it lies" principle.

 

How about lift clean and place for every shot? Rub of the green is part of the game.

 

Not always.

 

The Rules don't "violate" the principle, they modify it.

[Augster]

My solution avoids this problem; just let golfers move the ball six inches not closer to the hole through the green.

 

Problem solved and the game of golf wouldn't be harmed at all.

 

How about lift clean and place for every shot? Rub of the green is part of the game.

 

Pretty much what Roadking2003 has suggested,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, for a long time now,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Or were you just being sarcastic ? :dntknw:

Yes, I'd like to see the ball never touched until on the green, unless a penalty stroke is involved.

 

So, play it off a cart path, etc?

 

And why allow touching it on the green?

 

I’ve seen it called “gambling rules” and played that way a few times. Especially in bigger groups where playing for money is the point, not having an exhaustive knowledge of the rules.

 

No free relief except when your club will strike a sprinkler head. And that’s it.

 

You are not taking relief on the green, obviously, so the green remark was silly.

 

Most of the rule book is devoted to how to take free relief. So many situations. Get rid of all but ONE. Simpler golf and fair to all.

 

The old adage, “Don’t like the lie, don’t hit it there.” Applies.

[nsxguy]

My solution avoids this problem; just let golfers move the ball six inches not closer to the hole through the green.

 

Problem solved and the game of golf wouldn't be harmed at all.

 

How about lift clean and place for every shot? Rub of the green is part of the game.

 

Pretty much what Roadking2003 has suggested,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, for a long time now,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Or were you just being sarcastic ? :dntknw:

Yes, I'd like to see the ball never touched until on the green, unless a penalty stroke is involved.

 

So, play it off a cart path, etc?

 

And why allow touching it on the green?

 

[rogolf]

Certain Topics or Proposals Not Addressed in the New Rules of Golf for 2019

 

 

2. Preserving the Fundamental Challenge of the Game

• Play the ball as it lies – In its simplest form, golf is about playing the ball from tee to green by hitting it with a golf club, and not otherwise touching the ball. A fundamental challenge of the sport is to deal with whatever position your ball comes to rest in – whether good or bad. While there are some necessary exceptions (such as obstructions and other abnormal course conditions), the essential nature of golf means these must remain exceptions rather than the norm. Therefore, the new Rules do not provide relief without penalty from situations that some golfers complain about, such as when their ball comes to rest in a divot hole on a fairway or in footprints in a poorly raked bunker. In addition to being contrary to the fundamental principle of playing the ball as it lies, providing free relief in such circumstances would make the Rules harder to apply (for example, what is the difference between an irregularity of surface and an old divot hole?) and could slow down play when there are difficult questions about what is or isn’t a divot hole.
  

Others not addressed at http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-modernization/text/changes-not-addressed.html