RULE Q: Soggy turf & PLUGGED balls ...

[inthehole]

I've been playing alot of spring golf & up in the N/E, the fairways are consistently soggy due to all the rain we've had.     Typical high lofted approach shots or even drives tend to totally plug into the wet fairway - I'd say less than 20% of the ball is exposed above ground.       Makes follow up shots all but impossible to execute - I think a shovel would be a better tool than a golf club to deal with all these plugged balls.

Just wondering how you guys play plugged ball shots - can't imagine really trying to play a tournament in these conditions & having to hit plugged balls from your 2nd shot in on a par 5 with 200 + yards to go ... you would have to totally change your club selection to keep the ball low to prevent plugging.     Thanks !

[inthehole]

My bad - I used the search function (it's a wonderful thing) & seems like a drop is permissable from the fairway as long as you don't advance your position.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthehole

My bad - I used the search function (it's a wonderful thing) & seems like a drop is permissable from the fairway as long as you don't advance your position.

Yes.  Actually you are required to drop on the same spot, and if the ball rolls back into the crater, you redrop.  You can't repair the ball mark until after you have played your next shot.

Quote:

25-2. Embedded Ball

A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground in any closely mown area through the green may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole . The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green . "Closely mown area" means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.

Most committees will add the local rule that relief extends through the green, meaning that you also get relief from an embedded ball in the rough.