Repairing of a divot??

[kaiser-will]

A player is on the tee box with a 5 wood, places the ball on the ground and addresses the ball. Takes his swing, takes a huge divot behind the ball but never makes contact with the ball. Next he taps down the divot with his foot and takes another swing.

My question is is there a penalty for repairing his divot prior to retaking his shot?

Cant find anything in the rulebook about divots after fresh air shots.

Thanks

Kaiser

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by kaiser-will

A player is on the tee box with a 5 wood, places the ball on the ground and addresses the ball. Takes his swing, takes a huge divot behind the ball but never makes contact with the ball. Next he taps down the divot with his foot and takes another swing.

My question is is there a penalty for repairing his divot prior to retaking his shot?

Cant find anything in the rulebook about divots after fresh air shots.

Thanks

Kaiser

I don't honestly know.  Under rule 13-2 you are not allowed to replace a divot until after you have made your stroke, but under 11-1 you are allowed to remove irregularities in the teeing ground.  11-1 assumes that your ball is not yet in play, but with a quick search I didn't find any decision which would address the ball being in play within the teeing ground.  I honestly don't know which Rule takes precedence in this case.

My opinion:  I would believe that 13-2 is the stronger rule as it addresses one of the basic principles of the game, that you play the ball as it lies, and don't do anything to improve the lie of a ball in play, but I'll be happy to hear any argument to the contrary.

[kaiser-will]

But the fresh air shot is a stroke so repairing the divot improves the lie. and by divot I mean a good 4 x 4inches wide and 2 inches deep.

As a follow up is the ball in play after a fresh air shot.

His score didnt count on that hole anyway as it happened in a fourball.

[Zeph]

A swing is a stroke, so the ball is in play. But the way I read the rules, it doesn't matter if it's in play or not on the teeing ground. You are always allowed to create or eliminate irregularities on the teeing ground. [quote] 13-2. Improving Lie, Area of Intended Stance or Swing, or Line of Play A player must not improve or allow to be improved: · the position or lie of his ball, · the area of his intended stance or swing, · his line of play or a reasonable extension of that line beyond the hole, or · the area in which he is to drop or place a ball, by any of the following actions: · pressing a club on the ground, · moving, bending or breaking anything growing or fixed (including immovable obstructions and objects defining out of bounds), · creating or eliminating irregularities of surface, · removing or pressing down sand, loose soil, replaced divots or other cut turf placed in position, or · removing dew, frost or water. However, the player incurs no penalty if the action occurs: · in grounding the club lightly when addressing the ball, · in fairly taking his stance, · in making a stroke or the backward movement of his club for a stroke and the stroke is made, · in creating or eliminating irregularities of surface within the teeing ground (Rule 11-1) or in removing dew, frost or water from the teeing ground , or · on the putting green in removing sand and loose soil or in repairing damage (Rule 16-1).[/quote] And there I found a decision on it too. [quote] 13-2/2 Player Who Misses Tee Shot Presses Down Irregularities Before Next Stroke Q. In playing a tee shot A misses the ball. Before playing his next stroke, A presses down turf behind the ball. Is this permissible, since the ball is in play? A. Yes. Rule 13-2 permits eliminating irregularities of surface on the teeing ground, whether or not the ball is in play.[/quote]

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Zeph

A swing is a stroke, so the ball is in play. But the way I read the rules, it doesn't matter if it's in play or not on the teeing ground. You are always allowed to create or eliminate irregularities on the teeing ground.

And there I found a decision on it too.

Thanks Zeph.   I had a dentist appointment and didn't have time to research it this morning.  I knew there had to be  decision somewhere indicating which rule took priority.