Relief from Divot Rule?

does this extend to the fringe then as well?
Fringe of the green? Sure. Fringe of the fairway like an intermediate rough, no.

I did mention I don't think this should be the rule, but if there was a rule I think that's the only way to do it.
 
This makes my skin absolutely crawl. One of the fundamental principles of golf is dealing with (most) of the challenges in front of you.

If we just want golf to be fun and stress free, not a problem. Play however you want. Roll it out of divots, pick it up out of the junk and throw it back in the fairway. Do whatever you want to make golf fun for you.

But when it comes to the official rules and thus, competitive play at whatever level, golfers should have to deal with a bad break, even in the fairway.
 
Yea I mean outside of calling a rules official every time, so there can be some sort of consistency on how one defines a DIVOT, I just don't see anyone how to implement this.

I think it's easy enough to implement a rule in the sense of mark it next to the divot, grab your ball, move it out of the divot either 1" to the right, left or even behind the divot...similar to how one would mark a ball on the green.

BUT it's the whole how does one define a divot that would just be impossible to overcome and manage.
 
I don't think there should be a rule.

If there were one, I would severely restrict the distance you are allowed to take relief. Lift ball, drop, not placed, within 1 foot of its original position. Ball cannot be cleaned. Ball is allowed to roll up to one clublength, no closer to the hole.

If you're looking to get rid of any divot ambiguity by doing LCP anywhere in the fairway, I change LCP to the above, no cleaning of the ball, and you must drop the ball.
 
While I don't disagree, the purpose of this thread is to say "a rule is to be changed, how would you do it". Not whether or not it should be changed, that is a different discussion altogether.

Understood.

While I don't think the rule needs to be changed, this would be my submission:

"A player is provided free relief from a divot with bare earth (dirt) visible with an area the size of a US quarter or larger. Sand or seed mix placed in the divot does not qualify. Sand does qualify if the base of the golf course is sand and the visible sand is part of that base. The player must drop as close as possible to the back margin of the divot and no nearer the hole." (The R&A rule would use whatever coin is roughly the size of a US quarter)
 
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If a rule has to be created, then my rule would be
Fairway and fringe only
Lift and place, no clean and no drop (nearest point of relief )
Age of divot doesn't matter. (this would also help the divot to heal)
 
Understood.

While I don't think the rule needs to be changed, this would be my submission:

"A player is provided free relief from a divot with bare earth (dirt) visible with an area the size of a US quarter or larger. Sand or seed mix placed in the divot does not qualify. Sand does qualify if the base of the golf course is sand and the visible sand is part of that base." (The R&A rule would use whatever coin is roughly the size of a US quarter)
I would just change quarter to golf ball, since that is also uniform and everyone has one.
 
First, I would delegate. Put someone else's name as 'in charge of' correcting this obvious flaw in the game, and the rulebook.

So when no one is happy and it's gone horribly wrong, I'm just out on course, probably playing out of someone's divot, when someone points out how that person is being crucified on social. Then I get to laugh, say '**** happens' and go right back to my golf game, divot and all.
 
No. I mean, I play on some courses with crappy enough fairways so that hitting out of what would be a blemish on a well-manicured course would be an improvement.

Although there is an argument for a relaxed set of rules for purely recreational players. Preferred lies, gimmies, charitable penalty drops, one mulligan per nine, rake and place in bunkers, whatever.

So if some dude wants to do this they can still have a handicap just not one good for official competitions. Or at least a reference point.
 
I would have to say, if it had to change, If there is any grass growth in the divot at all, no matter how small, there is no relief. Brown or Green growth, no drop
 
divot.PNG
 
I get to add a rule? OHO ho ho. Christms has come early everyone. You just won the lottery.

Rule - Divot relief

Has you ball landed in a divot? Have no fear, take relief. Address your ball. Pick up your ball in either hand. Turn and face the hole you are advancing your ball to. Throw that ball to the green as far as you can. Go hit it again.

Rule - Divot definition

Any imperfection of the playing area of the course to include tee box, fairway, rough, wastelands, bunkers, and hazards.:D
Pinecone fall off a tree and dent the fairway and your ball landed in it? Relief. Throw that ball!
Someone slice up a beaver pelt in their swing and you're the lucky recipient of their lack of skill? Throw that ball!
Land in marked GUR? Too bad. No relief other than that rule. No throwing the ball for you.
 
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Boy, most of you golf "purists" must not play municipal courses where little attention is given to divots or bunkers. I don't need a rule change but here is how our morning group plays: move the ball in your fairway only and rake & place in bunkers. If we did not move the ball in your fairway you would be in a divot two or three times a round. If we did not play rake & place in bunkers, 50% of your sand shots would be out of foot prints or unattended areas.

I used to work cleaning carts at this course. Every day carts were sent out with two full sand bottles and most of them came back in with the bottles still full. It seems that covid has brought new golfers to the game who have little respect for course conditions or other golfers.
 
Understood.

While I don't think the rule needs to be changed, this would be my submission:

"A player is provided free relief from a divot with bare earth (dirt) visible with an area the size of a US quarter or larger. Sand or seed mix placed in the divot does not qualify. Sand does qualify if the base of the golf course is sand and the visible sand is part of that base. The player must drop as close as possible to the back margin of the divot and no nearer the hole." (The R&A rule would use whatever coin is roughly the size of a US quarter)

I think that any rule change would require a definition or description of what qualifies as a “divot”. I agree with what is stated above and would use a golf ball as the measurement as opposed to a coin. Not everyone will be carrying a quarter, but all will have a golf ball.
 
As to when a divot is not longer a divot. It is when the majority of the old divot has grass in it.

Right and middle relief. Left no relief.

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Don't think their should be any relief. It would turn into far too many loose interpretations or arguments, that would impede pace of play. If it applied to professional tours, the number of times rules officials would be called in would just make thier game, and our viewing, that much slower.
 
Lift clean and place anywhere in the fairway. Should never be a penalty for hitting the ball in the fairway.
 
@Canadan has posted some similar, which seems like common sense. Can we trust golfers with common sense though?

Nope. Especially not in competitions. That's why the all or none rule makes the most sense imo. I mean the pros play lift clean and place when its barely wet anyway.
 
I would say that the players or ground marshall would need to be called and if the area is deemed a true divot, play as ground under repair.
 
...If we just want golf to be fun and stress free, not a problem. Play however you want. Roll it out of divots, pick it up out of the junk and throw it back in the fairway. Do whatever you want to make golf fun for you.
I kinda have to agree to an extent. I play with a group of 75+ year olds, and we play to have fun, with just a bit of competition.
 
The only way it would work would be automatic relief of “x” when in your holes own fairway. Similar to LCP rules.

Otherwise there’s too much to interpret and too much arguing. I’m ok with that rule as I generally play it down and generally play goat ranches. So several times a round I’ll have a bare earth or similar lie in the FW.

But it would have to be a universal relief in your own FW otherwise it would be chaos.
 
@Canadan has posted some similar, which seems like common sense. Can we trust golfers with common sense though?

No, that is why there are so many rules..
 
If the rule hasn't been changed by now it never will. I hit out of a divot yesterday, 160 yds and got the ball on, it's not the big deal everyone makes it to be, I can count on one hand the times I've been in one this year and can't recall any of them being very damaging to the scorecard.

But the lost ball/OB? now there's a rule that could easily be changed without much hubbub and would have a positive impact for amateurs.
 
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