[BariGrootrego]

I don't believe if you put the ball in the fairway you should be punished for doing so.

Rub of the green. Like someone said, if I hit it way offline and it hits a tree and lands in the fairway, I don't go throw it back in the woods, so I don't move it out of the divot.

To me, part of the game is dealing with adversity. If that means a bad break in a divot, or landing in the only part of the rough they left 6" deep, so be it. As I have to say way too often..."I hit it there, I have to deal with it."

[smirnoffdear]

I'd put the Payne Stewart rule in effect.

Sorry, I don't know what that is. Would someone explain?

[BariGrootrego]

Sorry, I don't know what that is. Would someone explain?

While in contention at the US Open, Payne Stewart found himself in a sand-filled divot in the middle of the fairway. Payne complained that the divot should have been left unfilled because it constituted a bunker since the filled it with sand. He said he had no way of determining how deep the sand was. He knew how it would react if the divot were left plain, but the sand created a condition where he could not predict the ball's reaction.

He wanted the tour to either leave them unfilled or designate the sand-filled divot as ground under repair. Many people felt the same as Payne, but he was the one who voiced it publicly.

[smirnoffdear]

He wanted the tour to either leave them unfilled or designate the sand-filled divot as ground under repair. Many people felt the same as Payne, but he was the one who voiced it publicly.

So what do the current rules say? Are sand-filled divots treated as ground under repair?

[Opening-auto]

While in contention at the US Open, Payne Stewart found himself in a sand-filled divot in the middle of the fairway. Payne complained that the divot should have been left unfilled because it constituted a bunker since the filled it with sand. He said he had no way of determining how deep the sand was. He knew how it would react if the divot were left plain, but the sand created a condition where he could not predict the ball's reaction.

He wanted the tour to either leave them unfilled or designate the sand-filled divot as ground under repair. Many people felt the same as Payne, but he was the one who voiced it publicly.

Sounds logical to me. I would rather they not use sand to fill the divots and make people put their divots back in place. If the PGA institutes this than it would hopefully trickle down to everyone.

[LeslieMoran]

Sounds logical to me. I would rather they not use sand to fill the divots and make people put their divots back in place. If the PGA institutes this than it would hopefully trickle down to everyone.

The USGA has to buy it and they won't. I don't fill divots with sand for that reason, I replace the chunk of turf that comes out.

[Muhabsssa]

Hee-hee. Harry likes puns.

We know.

[EmpaccalGah]

My take is this, before a tourney someone goes around an marks G.U.R. all over the course. Dead areas, damaged areas etc. etc. so why should you have to play from a damaged area that was created, possibly, from the group ahead of you? All for one and one for all I say. Either allow a drop or don't mark any. Either way, I play by the rules.

[Brutton]

Alot of times local rules will over rule the USGA. The course I play allows lift clean and place in the fairway pretty much year round. We are in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains so our course holds alot of water. However our fairways are almost not existant so it isn't very often you find yourself in a position that warrants you to move your ball. I think it should be up to the local course as to whether there is a need to move your ball as the local rule is the most important rule in golf imo.

[MadMark]

I practice hitting out of divots. In fact when I find myself with a shot I have never seen before I will practice that same shot. Surprises are not a good thing when golfing.

I replace divots with the grass that come out of them...when ever possible, even on the driving range. Some folks don't even attempt to fix their divots... anywhere.

If I have sanded divot lie, it is what it is, and the old saying "thin to win" comes into play.

A ball at the front edge of a deep divot is the pits......