Plugged ball

[False hopes]

So I hit a shot on a par 3 today from about 165.  Long story short, the ball plugged into the fringe, literally there was only a 1/4 of the ball showing.  It took me 3 swings to get it out.  What type of swing and what club do you use for a shot like this?  All advice is welcome, I appreciate it.

[iacas]

21 minutes ago, False hopes said:

So I hit a shot on a par 3 today from about 165.  Long story short, the ball plugged into the fringe, literally there was only a 1/4 of the ball showing.  It took me 3 swings to get it out.  What type of swing and what club do you use for a shot like this?  All advice is welcome, I appreciate it.

I moved this to the Rules forum because…

Look up Rule 25-2: http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-25,25-2 .

Quote

25-2. Embedded Ball 

If a player's ball is embedded in any closely-mown area through the green, it 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. 

Note 1: A ball is "embedded" when it is in its own pitch-mark and part of the ball is below the level of the ground. A ball does not necessarily have to touch the soil to be embedded (e.g., grass, loose impedimentsand the like may intervene between the ball and the soil). 

Note 2: "Closely-mown area" means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less. 

Note 3: The Committee may adopt the Local Rule as provided for in Appendix I allowing a player relief, without penalty, for a ball embedded anywhere through the green.

You could have taken a free drop.

[David in FL]

You are allowed relief from a ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in any closely mown area through the green.  The fringe counts as such.

You should have lifted the ball (you're allowed to clean it if you like), and drop it as close to the original spot, not closer to the hole, as possible.  You then play it as usual, without penalty.

Rule 25-2 applies.

 

editted to add that @iacas beat me to it....

 

Edited December 2, 2017 by David in FL

[iacas]

5 minutes ago, David in FL said:

drop it as close to the original spot, not closer to the hole, as possible

Yes, I'll take this chance to point out that this is one of the times you don't get a club-length for a free drop. In this case you have to drop as near as possible.

[False hopes]

Awesome, thanks for the clarification guys.  I actually asked my playing partners about this and they were not aware of any rule that would let me drop.  I think I need to spend some time studying the rule book.

@iacas Thank you for the link.

[Martyn W]

6 hours ago, False hopes said:

Awesome, thanks for the clarification guys.  I actually asked my playing partners about this and they were not aware of any rule that would let me drop.  I think I need to spend some time studying the rule book.

@iacas Thank you for the link.

One more point to add: do not repair the pitchmark before you drop, that would be improving your area of intended drop in breach of 13-2. If the ball goes back into the pitchmark, re-drop with no penalty (see Rule 20)

[DaveP043]

One last point, you would not generally get to lift and drop the ball without penalty if it was embedded in the rough.  However, many courses extend the embedded ball rule beyond the "closely mown areas" to allow relief "through the green".  Its usually a good idea to check the scorecard, front and back, to understand what the local rules are.  

[David in FL]

...and finally, if you drop and the ball embeds again, you are entitled to redrop.  If upon redropping, the ball also embeds, you may place the ball as near as possible (not closer to the hole) to the spot where it embedded on the second drop.

 

 

[jamo]

I actually learned about this rule while caddying one time.

To kind of get at your original question, if you were in the rough, which you're not allowed to lift and drop out of (unless you want to take an unplayable), your best bet is to just grab a wedge and hack out as best as you can. The ball tends to not embed in the rough like it does in the fairway because the long grass slows the ball down. If you're close to the green, err on the side of chunking rather than thinning, and use speed.

[Dick Kusleika]

Isn't "as near as possible (not closer to the hole) to the spot where it embedded on the second drop" in the pitch mark that I wasn't able to repair?

[NM Golf]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the proposed rules changes for 2019 extend the embedded ball rule to include all areas through the green. 

[Fourputt]

46 minutes ago, Dick Kusleika said:

Isn't "as near as possible (not closer to the hole) to the spot where it embedded on the second drop" in the pitch mark that I wasn't able to repair?

Yes it is.  If the ball ends up back in the pitch mark, then redrop.  It must be dropped directly above the point where it was embedded, and in my experience, will rarely return to the pitch mark.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Fourputt

[Hackpro]

Didn’t this happen to Arnie Palmer during one of his early Majors.  He played it both ways and had to wait until the end of the round to find out if he pared or double boogied the hole. Ken Venture was whining about it, because it cost him the win.