Ball finishes on top of an upturned divot?

[delc]

My 2nd shot at our long par-4 3rd hole came to rest on top of an overturned divot this morning, leaving me with a very tricky pitch shot onto the green, which I messed up! The divot was not attached and would have normally been a loose impediment. Should I have been entitled to relief, or is that just a rub of the green?

 

[BTatHome]

Since you can't improve your lie I would say no.

 

[doublebogey7]

No, you are not entitled to relief from loose impediments.

 

[Foxholer]

My 2nd shot at our long par-4 3rd hole came to rest on top of an overturned divot this morning, leaving me with a very tricky pitch shot onto the green, which I messed up! The divot was not attached and would have normally been a loose impediment. Should I have been entitled to relief?

No!

The only relief you get from loose impediments is the ability to move them - though the ball mustn't move!

Was the ball/divot on the fairway? Are Winter Rules in place? If so, then you DID have the chance to move the ball!

 

[Duckster]

My 2nd shot at our long par-4 3rd hole came to rest on top of an overturned divot this morning, leaving me with a very tricky pitch shot onto the green, which I messed up! The divot was not attached and would have normally been a loose impediment. Should I have been entitled to relief?

Ask yourself, would you have got relief if the divot was the other way up?

 

[delc]

No!

You don't get relief from loose impediments!

But you can normally remove them through the green.

 

[doublebogey7]

You can try to remove them but if the ball moves its a 1 shot penalty. Rule 18-2a

 

[Foxholer]

But you can normally remove them through the green.

See my edit!

 

[pbrown7582]

But you can normally remove them through the green.

only if you don't move you ball

 

[BTatHome]

But you can normally remove them through the green.

Well there are lots of rules about your lie, stance, and line of play etc that prohibit you from improving these areas .... lots of decisions about this area too, and divots in them.

But as before they pretty much all say no!

 

[delc]

Well there are lots of rules about your lie, stance, and line of play etc that prohibit you from improving these areas .... lots of decisions about this area too, and divots in them.

But as before they pretty much all say no!

Yes, I thought that would be the case. We don't have Winter rules yet, so pick clean and place wasn't an option. BTW, this was the first time I can remember this happening to me in over 50 years of playing golf. I have been in a few divot holes mind you.

 

[Pants]

Wow!!!

Is this a record?

Delc posing a question, getting a few similar responses with Del accepting them after 11 posts.

Surely, end of thread.






Or does Del have another card up his sleeve?

 

[Colin L]

The ball was lying on an upturned divot which was sitting on top of a molehill. 😎

 

[IanG]

The ball was lying on an upturned divot which was sitting on top of a molehill. 

you're a bad, bad man....

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yes, I thought that would be the case. We don't have Winter rules yet, so pick clean and place wasn't an option. BTW, this was the first time I can remember this happening to me in over 50 years of playing golf. I have been in a few divot holes mind you.

Maybe this is one reason why no relief is given - it is such a rare event that it is not worth having a rule giving relief as it would open a can of worms about 'is it a divot - is it not a divot', 'is ball on or affected by divot or not' etc etc.

 

[delc]

Maybe this is one reason why no relief is given - it is such a rare event that it is not worth having a rule giving relief as it would open a can of worms about 'is it a divot - is it not a divot', 'is ball on or affected by divot or not' etc etc.

The Rules of Golf and the Decisions Book cover almost every possible occurance.

BTW, does anybody know how to hit a ball that is sitting balanced on top of an overturned divot? I was worried about catching the back edge of the divot and ended up thinning my pitch shot straight over the green!

 

[duncan mackie]

The Rules of Golf and the Decisions Book cover almost every possible occurance.

BTW, does anybody know how to hit a ball that is sitting balanced on top of an overturned divot? I was worried about catching the back edge of the divot and ended up thinning my pitch shot straight over the green!

Hit the little white ball first - job done.

It's a well established principle.

Any issues are in your head rather than real.

If your ball had been sitting under the divot I would have more sympathy

 

[delc]

Hit the little white ball first - job done.

It's a well established principle.

Any issues are in your head rather than real.

If your ball had been sitting under the divot I would have more sympathy

I did hit the little white ball first, which is how I thinned it!

 

[Tiger]

I did hit the little white ball first, which is how I thinned it!

I'd have placed it a little further back in my stance and played it as if it was in a divot and hit down on it a bit. Then again I'm not very good at golf...

 

[Foxholer]

I did hit the little white ball first, which is how I thinned it!

I think that was actually probably the most likely result!

I'd have tried to 'hammer' down the imaginary tee-peg the ball was 'sitting' on - basically trying to slice (chop) the divot and take another one! Ball would still likely come off the club lower than normal with not a lot of backspin! Alternatively - if reasonably near the green - a 7/8 (or even 6) iron chip-putt if the distance and conditions allowed.