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Pros playing from divots in fairway

I dont hit it far enough to hit from anyone's divots

#shorthitterproblems
 
After playing Pinehurst No. 2 last week, these guys ought to be good hitting out of cruddy lies.....
 
I've only had to hit out of a divot once, and it wasn't after a good drive either. I had to pitch back into the fairway and ended up in the divot. Play the ball down. Those are the breaks!
 
Not going to lie. If I'm just playing a friendly round of golf and I'm in a divot, I'm taking it out, especially if it's an unsanded divot. Life is too short to play out of that nonsense.

I kind of treat divots and balls against roots like gimmie two-foot putts. If we're out having fun, there's no sense in my mind to play from that stuff (especially if club damage or injury is possible).

Obviously, if it's match play, tournament play or preparing for a match/tournament, I'm playing the ball completely down.
 
I am one that plays from fairway divots should it occur. If I recall I've had it happen on two occassions. This also goes for rolling the ball...just don't understand the thought process behind it. Should you play in any type of tournament, rolling the ball or improve one's lie is unacceptable.
 
Its just part of the game where sometimes you get a bad break. Sometimes you hit a tree and it bounces back into the fairway and you get a good break. You wouldnt want to have to put it back in the trees because thats where it was originally headed would you?
 
I pay for a round of golf and I hit it in the fairway, I'm rolling it. When I'm good enough to play on tour, I'll play it out of divots. The game is hard enough as it is.
 
I guess I don't see it as an issue. Hitting out of divots isn't tough for me. You'll never get better by moving the ball out of the divot. Learn to play more shots
 
perkis said:
Watching the Travelers and Sergio had to hit his 2nd from a fairway divot. I understand that it's a rule but there should be no reason they can't lift and place from a fairway divot.

These guys stripe their drives down the middle and end up with a sketchy lie like a fairway divot.

Do you guys play from fairway divots in your casual rounds or do you place it on the fairway??
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You have to play it down and out of the divot. One of the dumber rules in golf. Divots should be ground under repair and you should get a drop within a club length. One of the reason I'm sure to replace every divot I make. At least the next guy has half a chance.
I doubt this rule will ever change. The USGA and the R&A are all about making the book thicker and game harder, not easier.
 
mmaynard11 said:
I am one that plays from fairway divots should it occur. If I recall I've had it happen on two occassions. This also goes for rolling the ball...just don't understand the thought process behind it. Should you play in any type of tournament, rolling the ball or improve one's lie is unacceptable.
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I agree. I play in mens league and weekend skins games and everything is by the book, so I play everything as it lies.
 
For casual golf, folks can do whatever they want. You're just playing for fun. So, who cares. But, for those that play a lot of tournament golf, playing the ball, as it lies, out of a divot, makes perfect sense.


For tournament golf, do you want your opponent to be able to make the decision, "Every time I don't like my lie, I'm just going to say it's in an old divot. That way I can move it to a nice piece of grass".
 
I don't get the people saying it's an easy shot. Why does it always give the pros so much trouble?

Happens to them way more often as you have 140 people hitting drives into the same 20 yard circle for the most part so they have plenty of practice.

I used to take divots down to the water table and have seen many like it. If I didn't fix it the top of the ball would be below ground level damn near if it were a wedge shot.
 
Miller Time said:
I pay for a round of golf and I hit it in the fairway, I'm rolling it. When I'm good enough to play on tour, I'll play it out of divots. The game is hard enough as it is.
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I'm pretty sure we would get along fine on the course!
 
I had a ball buried under a divot the last time I played. I almost lost the ball that had been hit in the middle of the fairway. Talk about a nasty next shot playing it as it lies..........
 
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JRod said:
I don't get the people saying it's an easy shot. Why does it always give the pros so much trouble?
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Because for the pros, a great result is within 3 feet of the pin. If the divot causes them to be 15 yards left of the pin, it's a horrible result.

For those of us who aren't sub-5 handicaps, sure, we might end up 15 yards short, but we weren't sure we weren't going to be 15 yards left or right anyhow.

You'll never get better by moving the ball out of the divot.
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This has always been my philosophy. Sure, I may chunk the ball coming out of the divot and end up doubling the hole, but if so, that's who I am anyhow. Making a par by rolling the ball over isn't really indicative of my skill. If I chunk enough balls out of enough divots, maybe, just maybe when I have to hit one in a tournament, I'll hit it clean and will make that par.
 
Call it a part of the game all you want, it remains one of the absolute most idiotic rules in the game.

Tell me a course designer intended for their fairways to be ravaged by divots and I'll tell you the original design of a cup was a star shape instead of a circle. #EnjoyTheSmoke

All that said, I play them out of the divots, and swear a lot while doing so. It's absolutely stupid.
 
casual observation for recreational weekend play after reading some of the replies:

High handicapers tend to move them ... and honestly when I play with someone that is struggling I encourage them to move out ... odds are they can not hit off the perfect lie ...

Mid hindicapers ... I think it depends ... if it was attempted to be repaired I play it as it lies ... if someone just flat walked away from a huge divot and made no attempt, then I move it ... I should not be penalized for someones negligence ... they should be access 2 strokes for not filling it in ...

lower handicapers tend to play it as it lies ... and I believe that to good, because they probably "have that shot in their wheelhouse"

I think most agree, that in a tournament play you should play by the rules which is play it as it lies.
 
If you're playing a casual round with friends, really, what difference does it make?

If you improve your lie, you improve your ability to score, and the only person that affects is yourself and lowers your handicap.

*shrug*
 
I understand the "play it as it lies" mantra but do you folks not take drops from ground under repair? I mean isn't a divot in the fairway that hasn't grown back ground under repair? We are not talking about placing it but a free drop. Why should luck of the draw on a well struck shot come into play?
 
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