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Hitting Out of a Divot Issue

JB

JB

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So I was emailed by a father today that played in a father and son event at his local course. They were the 3rd group out and the event was the first to go out in the morning. One of the participants in the first two groups went Jon Rahm on the fairway after a bad shot and took a giant divot out of the turf after his bad swing (allegedly). This participant's drive landed in it.

What should he do?
 
Depends on how strict the tournament is.
 
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ddec said:
Depends on how strict the tournament is.
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They play by the rules.
I guess the bigger question is not only what should he do, but are you cool with the rule as it stands?
 
I listened to a discussion about this on a podcast the other day. One of the people remarked that a player should be able to fill an unfilled divot (with sand) then place the ball back in the filled divot and play from there. That made sense to me in the case where people are too lazy to do the right thing as opposed to getting complete relief from the divot.
 
Easy to say, but play it how it lies.... It's a father/son so fun should be the objective??

Edit to post: I don't like the rule and somewhat align with Sox suggested solution.... however, if this happened because someone took a 'Sergio swing' why not consider ground under repair?
 
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Stemmy66 said:
Easy to say, but play it how it lies.... It's a father/son so fun should be the objective??

Edit to post: I don't like the rule and somewhat align with Sox suggested solution.... however, if this happened because someone took a 'Sergio swing' why not consider ground under repair?
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I think fun should be the objective. I also think competition can be good.
I just don't understand how bad sportsmanship is rewarded in this case, because a later tee time is penalized for someone carving the course.
 
JB said:
I think fun should be the objective. I also think competition can be good.
I just don't understand how bad sportsmanship is rewarded in this case, because a later tee time is penalized for someone carving the course.
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Wholly agree... personally I feel like every unfilled divot should be ground under repair and a free drop granted. If the divot was filled previously then it’s play it how it lies.

Also, not sure how the actions of the course abuser is rewarded in that situation. Personally there should be a penalty assessed for tearing up the course


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Stemmy66 said:
Also, not sure how the actions of the course abuser is rewarded in that situation.
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Because his opponents were punished by his actions.
 
I’m honestly not sure how I would play it, down I’m guessing if that’s what the format dictated. I’d be pissed and I’d probably be on the phone with the pro shop to get a marshal or rules official to at the very least have a chat with Sergio...so he at least realizes that his hissy fit has effected other groups.
 
Play the ball as it lies !
 
Sox_Fan said:
I listened to a discussion about this on a podcast the other day. One of the people remarked that a player should be able to fill an unfilled divot (with sand) then place the ball back in the filled divot and play from there. That made sense to me in the case where people are too lazy to do the right thing as opposed to getting complete relief from the divot.
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Yeah... but...

Why not just get full relief from a divot?
 
JB said:
Because his opponents were punished by his actions.
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I mean, yeah his actions caused it and created a disadvantage, but i would argue that a golfer who takes a normal swing and takes a divot is doing a similar act. Reinforcing my argument of ground under repair...

This situation isn’t typical and any player who’s actions create an a disadvantage to another player as you noted should be assessed some sort of penalty or any merely change that any ball that comes to rest in a previously unrepaired divot should be a free drop.

I feel like we’re saying similar things and that is the rule needs adjustment?


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the problem I have with the OP, is that regardless of intent, a divot is a divot. No different from an unintentional tire track depression in the fairway or a deer print in the sand. None of these samples are how the course was designed to be played, yet somehow somewhere, some dude having a bad day after striking out at the craps table decided that bad luck should be a factor in golf.

To the OP, outside of bringing in a rules official, he's screwed.. and it sucks.
 
I would be ticked that I'm stuck in that situation but I'd play it by the rules and follow up with the pro shop afterward hoping they address it with the Rahmbo.
 
Sucks but as the rules state gotta play as is as bad as it sucks to be in that predicament.

Meanwhile dude needs thrown out. Especially with it being a father son event

Crazy odds going out Third that this would happen
 
I am more than happy if playing for money to have lift clean and place out of the fairway in all conditions. Anything that takes luck out of play somewhat is good by me. Till the USGA agrees I should probably practice hitting out of a divot once in a while.
 
That is just a bad break IMO. I really think you should be allowed to move the ball back to the rear of the divot onto the good grass. You see quite few pros pulling the shot off from a divot, but for amateurs I don't think it is necessary to hit out of.
 
Canadan said:
Yeah... but...

Why not just get full relief from a divot?
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Because there are plenty of bad luck lies that balls end up in. I see the point where a man made divot that wasn't properly filled in would be an unfair disadvantage. I know I would rather hit from a sand filled divot that a small trench in the fairway that wasn't properly repaired. I guess it kind of follows the logic that you can repair ball marks on the green that impede your line or even lie if your ball comes to rest in one.
 
You can also repair anything on the green now so maybe one day we won't hit out of divots.
 
So at what point does it become ground under repair? A normal divot, sure, but if someone intentionally hacked at it, how is that not then ground under repair if the next guy hit into it.

Golf is weird.
 
Sox_Fan said:
Because there are plenty of bad luck lies that balls end up in. I see the point where a man made divot that wasn't properly filled in would be an unfair disadvantage. I know I would rather hit from a sand filled divot that a small trench in the fairway that wasn't properly repaired. I guess it kind of follows the logic that you can repair ball marks on the green that impede your line or even lie if your ball comes to rest in one.
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I guess my point was more "why go halfway with it" rather than just making divots GUR.

At least on greens you can repair the ground to original condition before playing your ball.
 
Play it as it lies? Does it matter if the divot was taken 3 groups ahead or 3 weeks ahead?
 
I’m really curious how deep this divot was.
 
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