Embedded Ball

[alleztom]

Playing today on very soft course - hit a 5i into the wind and the ball embedded, deep (90% of the ball was in the ground), into the rough next to the fairway. My group made a mistake and gave me a drop (having looked it up I now know that was a mistake as it wasn't closely mown) but this is not the point - the point is, how would you play this shot, when the ball is basically underground?

Thanks in advance.

[Hardspoon]

1 minute ago, alleztom said:

Playing today on very soft course - hit a 5i into the wind and the ball embedded, deep (90% of the ball was in the ground), into the rough next to the fairway. My group made a mistake and gave me a drop (having looked it up I now know that was a mistake as it wasn't closely mown) but this is not the point - the point is, how would you play this shot, when the ball is basically underground?

Thanks in advance.

If it was truly 90% underground, I'd take an unplayable lie. I doubt I'd be able to advance the ball very far (if at all) without risk of injury.

[Hatchman]

Glad you looked it up, but in a fun game I wouldn't try and advance it today with chance of injury.  The steepness you would have to get to advance it or else drive it deeper.

[David in FL]

Acting as our own committee, our group enacts the local rule allowing for relief for an embedded ball through-the-green.

[dennyjones]

Our non-serious group would have told you to take a drop w/o penalty.    That's not fun.

[Rainmaker]

Yeah . .for real . . in almost all "real world" golfing scenarios . .if they're that serious about the rules then they're that serious about course conditions, too.  Balls fully plugged in the first or second cut is not really playable conditions.  If those conditions were present during a tour event, it would be a preferred lie situation . .if they played at all.  

But let's say it's not course conditions . . you just happen to hit it into a really soggy area....well, yeah . .then it's an unplayable . .unless you think you can get it out.   If I was to try and get one out I'd play it like a bunker shot . .hit a few inches behind the ball and just try to demolish the whole area surrounding the ball . . .50/50 I just drive it deeper and it becomes a lost ball, lol.  

[Buckeyebowman]

On 1/22/2017 at 8:53 PM, dennyjones said:

Our non-serious group would have told you to take a drop w/o penalty.    That's not fun.

Yes to this, and Rainmaker's post as well. You kind of have an idea of what the course is going to be like before you head out so it's good to have this decided beforehand. It's the height of idiocy to try to chop a plugged ball out of the middle of a fairway! The PGA Tour doesn't demand that of tour pros! They'll give them "lift, clean, and drop" if not "lift, clean, and place"!

[iacas]

23 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

It's the height of idiocy to try to chop a plugged ball out of the middle of a fairway!

Why would you? Free relief by rule if the ball is embedded in fairway height or lower.

[alleztom]

It's funny how you don't even think on the course - obviously taking an unplayable is the way to go. Thanks all.

[Buckeyebowman]

23 hours ago, iacas said:

Why would you? Free relief by rule if the ball is embedded in fairway height or lower.

Understood. But, many times in the Spring with soggy fairways, we'll have a ball semi-plug and jump back a foot or two with a giant glob of mud on the ball. Technically it is no longer "embedded", but we routinely agree to allow a player to lift, clean, and place before making their next stroke.

As long as everyone is playing by the same rules, what's the problem? BTW, this is not in any kind of sanctioned competition,it's just us guys.