Tamping down your lie

[rulie]

If I find that on taking my stance on the fairway one or both of my feet are on replaced divots surely I can remove the divot - assuming that it is not in any way still a bit attached to fairway or has started to root.

Its all very well not replacing divots on a top course that might not be that heavily used, or if the club has a ton of greens keepers to constantly fill where divots haven’t been replaced. But the vast majority of clubs are not of that sort. I’d rather take the risk of having to stand on a loose replaced divot, than standing in, or finding my ball in, where one has been taken and not replaced.

So so these reasons my rule to myself and others is ALWAYS replace divots. My club provides bags of sand, soil, seed mix for us all to take out when we play, and so if I can’t replace a divot for whatever reason (usually a scrape of its smashed to smithereeens), I simply fill it from my bag of mix. The teeing ground is different as sand to fill is often available.

Thank you!
Unfortunately for you, if you remove a replaced divot from the area of your stance, it's improving the area of your intended stance and a breach of the Rules (see Rule 8.1a(3)) and results in the general penalty.

 

[clubchamp98]

And your point is? I guess that if you're in Florida, do as Floridians do. If you're not in Florida, follow the local customs.

My point is!
People are taught different things dependant on where they live.
We were discussing the pros not replacing divots, but they don’t play in St Helens much.

 

[backwoodsman]

Thank you!
Unfortunately for you, if you remove a replaced divot from the area of your stance, it's improving the area of your intended stance and a breach of the Rules (see Rule 8.1a(3)) and results in the general penalty.

Well, you learn something every day. (I was wrongly assuming they'd be a loose impediment ...)

 

[rulefan]

Well, you learn something every day. (I was wrongly assuming they'd be a loose impediment ...)

Only if they are loose
Natural objects are not loose if they are attached or growing.

 

[rulie]

A divot that has been placed in a divot hole is not a loose impediment. A divot does not have to have been replaced in its "own" divot hole, and does not have to be placed perfectly in the divot hole. Removing or pressing down divots that have been been replaced would be a breach of Rule 8.1.

 

[backwoodsman]

Only if they are loose
Natural objects are not loose if they are attached or growing.

Indeed. But my error was thinking that even if it is loose, according to 8.1a(3) a replaced divot can't be treat as a loose impediment

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Thank you!
Unfortunately for you, if you remove a replaced divot from the area of your stance, it's improving the area of your intended stance and a breach of the Rules (see Rule 8.1a(3)) and results in the general penalty.

Thought that that would be the case but posed the question as I knew someone would be able to confirm one way or tother. I love that I can build a stance by deconstructing it

 

[salfordlad]

A divot that has been placed in a divot hole is not a loose impediment. A divot does not have to have been replaced in its "own" divot hole, and does not have to be placed perfectly in the divot hole. Removing or pressing down divots that have been been replaced would be a breach of Rule 8.1.

Agree, but note the one little wrinkle here - if it has not been put back into a hole roots down it is not replaced for the purposes of rule 8.1.

 

[WGCRider]

My club provides bags of sand, soil, seed mix for us all to take out when we play, and so if I can’t replace a divot for whatever reason (usually a scrape of its smashed to smithereeens), I simply fill it from my bag of mix. The teeing ground is different as sand to fill is often available.

I grew up in South Africa. At all golf courses it was a requirement that you take a sandbag out with to fill in divots. Every golfer would have his own bag and fill it on the 1st tee. I've always wondered why this isn't common practise in the UK. (too be fair I don't know if it's still the practise in South Africa)

 

[rulefan]

Agree, but note the one little wrinkle here - if it has not been put back into a hole roots down it is not replaced for the purposes of rule 8.1.

Well spotted

 

[clubchamp98]

I grew up in South Africa. At all golf courses it was a requirement that you take a sandbag out with to fill in divots. Every golfer would have his own bag and fill it on the 1st tee. I've always wondered why this isn't common practise in the UK. (too be fair I don't know if it's still the practise in South Africa)

Mainly the heat and type of grass.
Sand based or soil.
The heat shrinks divots in hot climates very quickly once the root is broken.
A lot of grasses in very hot countries has roots that grow horizontally.
But in the UK we encourage our grass roots to go down as much as possible.