Golfball dug in on fairway

[Tomz]

Hi everybody,

I'm new to this forum and fairly new to golf (I played my first 9 holes today).

I played the ball off the tee with my driver and it dug in on the fairway.

How is the rule for this?

I tried to use the search function, but I didn't find anything. I know the basic "play the ball as it lies" rule, but I was worried about the fairway, so I dug it out and placed it on the ground.

Thanks, Tom

[Slice of Life]

I believe on the fairway, as long as it's embedded in it's own pitch mark, you can lift and place.

[fr0sty]

http://www.usga.org/rulesfaq/rules_answer.asp?FAQidx=104&Rule;=25

Q. On what part of the course is a player entitled to relief from an embedded ball?

A. Under Rule 25-2, a player may only take relief from a ball that is embedded in a closely-mown area through the green. A closely-mown area is any area that is mowed to fairway height or less. However, the Committee may adopt a Local Rule that allows for relief from an embedded ball anywhere through the green. This Local Rule can be found in Appendix I; Part B.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomz

Hi everybody,

I'm new to this forum and fairly new to golf (I played my first 9 holes today).

I played the ball off the tee with my driver and it dug in on the fairway.

How is the rule for this?

I tried to use the search function, but I didn't find anything. I know the basic "play the ball as it lies" rule, but I was worried about the fairway, so I dug it out and placed it on the ground.

Thanks, Tom

It's not "dug in" it's embedded, and you get relief for it in the fairway, or any area cut to fairway height or lower.

One thing to remember, you cannot repair the pitch mark before you drop, and you must drop as closely as possible to the crater.  If the ball rolls back in you get to redrop, and if it happens a second time, you get to place the ball where it first hit the ground.

This is the rule, 25-2:

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.

[Jeremie Boop]

I've lost a ball in the fairway because I skied it and the ground was super soft. That's embarrassing.

[Tomz]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

It's not "dug in" it's embedded, and you get relief for it in the fairway, or any area cut to fairway height or lower.

One thing to remember, you cannot repair the pitch mark before you drop, and you must drop as closely as possible to the crater.  If the ball rolls back in you get to redrop, and if it happens a second time, you get to place the ball where it first hit the ground.

Thanks Rick,

with the correct terminology it's much easier to find the wanted information!

Tom

[GHIN0011458]

I think that if the ball breaks the surface of the ground it is considered an "embedded" ball and you can take relief. Def can from embedded in fairway.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GHIN0011458

I think that if the ball breaks the surface of the ground it is considered an "embedded" ball and you can take relief. Def can from embedded in fairway.

The ball is embedded only if it rests in its own pitch mark.  That is how it is defined in the rules.  Decision 25-2/0.5 says:

Quote:

25-2/0.5

When Ball Embedded in Ground

For a ball to be considered embedded, it must be in its own pitch-mark with part of the ball below the level of the ground. However, the ball does not necessarily have to touch the soil to be considered embedded, e.g., grass or loose impediments may intervene between the ball and the soil.

[Tomz]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

The ball is embedded only if it rests in its own pitch mark.

Mine was well embedded, I had problems finding it, because there were leaves on the fairway as well...

[GHIN0011458]

Originally Posted by Tomz

Mine was well embedded, I had problems finding it, because there were leaves on the fairway as well...

You sure that is your pitch mark though?

[Tomz]

Originally Posted by GHIN0011458

You sure that is your pitch mark though?

Yes, sure, the fairway was in good condition, only soggy due to rain the night before. Something similar had happened to me a couple of holes before, where the ball jumped backwards for 20 cm out of it's own pitch mark.

Tom