Should you be able to get relief from divots in the fairway?

[Imurg]

Yes - Reed can get relief pretending the ball is plugged in deep rough, yet you hit a perfect drive up the fairway land in a massive divot and get nothing? That seems backward to me.

One is Rub of the Green, the other is chea.....

 

[chrisd]

All year round preferred lies - no!

 

[clubchamp98]

Yes.

In my view we should all, amateurs and pro's alike, play it as it lies.

Well at least that’s consistent and removes any argument.
But there are so many exemptions now it’s never going to happen.

 

[Orikoru]

All year round preferred lies - no!

Why not though? It's only if you manage to hit the fairway. Why shouldn't you get a decent lie for hitting a fairway?

I'm shocked at the number of no votes to be honest. Feels like too many people want golf to remain unchanged for a hundred years. Why shouldn't you get a decent lie on the fairway?? It's only six inches no nearer the hole and doesn't take more than a second so what is the actual problem people have with it?? Other than change = bad.

 

[USER1999]

Yet some still think there is no bifurcation of the rules, and we are all playing to the same set. Well, yes, we are, due to provision of local rules that you will never see at your own course.

 

[USER1999]

Why not though? It's only if you manage to hit the fairway. Why shouldn't you get a decent lie for hitting a fairway?

I'm shocked at the number of no votes to be honest. Feels like too many people want golf to remain unchanged for a hundred years. Why shouldn't you get a decent lie on the fairway?? It's only six inches no nearer the hole and doesn't take more than a second so what is the actual problem people have with it?? Other than change = bad.

Just make the whole game easier, so everybody can play off scratch. Why stop at preferred lies?

 

[Crazyface]

I voted YES and will always vote YES. It will not slow up play. Make a rule so that if the player claims a divot they are allowed one free drop one clubs length and then MUST play the ball from where it lies NO MATTER WHAT. Job done.

 

[Orikoru]

Just make the whole game easier, so everybody can play off scratch. Why stop at preferred lies?

Because the lie is what the thread is about? Lovely bit of whataboutery though.

If you vote no you're saying it's fair that a golfer is punished for a previous golfer they may never have met not replacing/repairing their divot earlier on. That's not fair at all.

 

[Orikoru]

I voted YES and will always vote YES. It will not slow up play. Make a rule so that if the player claims a divot they are allowed one free drop one clubs length and then MUST play the ball from where it lies NO MATTER WHAT. Job done.

Why would it need to be a whole club length? The most sensible thing would be to just make it preferred lies as others mentioned, so no question about what is or isn't a divot. You could even make it 3 inches rather than 6 in summer if you want, that should still be enough to get out of most divots.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Why not though? It's only if you manage to hit the fairway. Why shouldn't you get a decent lie for hitting a fairway?

I'm shocked at the number of no votes to be honest. Feels like too many people want golf to remain unchanged for a hundred years. Why shouldn't you get a decent lie on the fairway?? It's only six inches no nearer the hole and doesn't take more than a second so what is the actual problem people have with it?? Other than change = bad.

How about using a tee everywhere ? Maybe a mat ?

Should they make the holes bigger ? Remove bunker and make the greens flag ?

How many times have you actually had that bad a lie on a fairway ?

Golf is constantly changing in regards equipment, courses , clothing , rules

And taking a second for a preffered lie ? Have you seen how long some take when doing a drop

Golf as with all sports is supposed to be hard to master , lots of things have made it easier for people to win when playing the sport - handicap , equipment etc , surely you don’t want to sanitise it even more

 

[sweaty sock]

No way, Play the ball as it lies, play the course as you find it.

Replace or fill your divots and its a non issue.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Why not though? It's only if you manage to hit the fairway. Why shouldn't you get a decent lie for hitting a fairway?

I'm shocked at the number of no votes to be honest. Feels like too many people want golf to remain unchanged for a hundred years. Why shouldn't you get a decent lie on the fairway?? It's only six inches no nearer the hole and doesn't take more than a second so what is the actual problem people have with it?? Other than change = bad.

In my thinking it's simply too subjective and therefore contentious - and contention can lead to conflict.

One of the basic tenets of our game is that we honestly follow the rules as laid down and accept that under the rules we sometimes get a good break, and sometimes our opponent will get a good break. We absolutely don't need more subjective interpretation associated with the rules.

 

[SaintHacker]

All year round preferred lies - no!

Thats what we have at the Forest, due to the amount of animal damage and the arguments it causes over whats a divot and what is caused by animals ?

 

[chrisd]

Why not though? It's only if you manage to hit the fairway. Why shouldn't you get a decent lie for hitting a fairway?

I'm shocked at the number of no votes to be honest. Feels like too many people want golf to remain unchanged for a hundred years. Why shouldn't you get a decent lie on the fairway?? It's only six inches no nearer the hole and doesn't take more than a second so what is the actual problem people have with it?? Other than change = bad.

You can always move your ball out of a divot, it's just that it'll cost a shot penalty.

 

[Orikoru]

How about using a tee everywhere ? Maybe a mat ?

Should they make the holes bigger ? Remove bunker and make the greens flag ?

How many times have you actually had that bad a lie on a fairway ?

Golf is constantly changing in regards equipment, courses , clothing , rules

And taking a second for a preffered lie ? Have you seen how long some take when doing a drop

Golf as with all sports is supposed to be hard to master , lots of things have made it easier for people to win when playing the sport - handicap , equipment etc , surely you don’t want to sanitise it even more

More stupid whataboutery. It would be a miniscule change that adds no time and all it does is eliminate the possibility of being unfairly punished for somebody else's laziness.

 

[Orikoru]

You can always move your ball out of a divot, it's just that it'll cost a shot penalty.

Nobody would do that would they.

 

[Neilds]

No way, Play the ball as it lies, play the course as you find it.

Replace or fill your divots and its a non issue.

Not quite a non issue. Usually a replaced divot won’t fully fit the hole it came from so will leave some uneven gaps. A divot could have been replaced then dried out, again leaving gaps. A filled divot with seed mixture is not the same as the main fairway.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

More stupid whataboutery. It would be a miniscule change that adds no time and all it does is eliminate the possibility of being unfairly punished for somebody else's laziness.

Ok simple question - define what divot you can take relief from ?

Any ? Specific size ?

 

[chrisd]

Thats what we have at the Forest, due to the amount of animal damage and the arguments it causes over whats a divot and what is caused by animals ?

I saw that they did and intended to ask if that was correct. I get the reasoning behind the rule in your club case

 

[Orikoru]

Ok simple question - define what divot you can take relief from ?

Any ? Specific size ?

I already said you can scoot past that conundrum by making it basically the same as preferred lies, but you could restrict to 3 inches rather than 6 maybe. No need to overcomplicate it.