Happened two weeks ago.

A flightmate hit a shot which was a little short of the green, it created a deep pitch mark. Ball bounced up the slope a bit but then because of spin/soft conditions rolled back down and for some magnificent twist of fate goes into its own pitch mark. It was 50/50 if half the ball was over the ground's surface or not.

I told him what happened and we weren't sure if he could take relief under an embedded ball rule because they ball popped out and rolled back. It was a causal round so no big deal.

Conversely what if it is someone else's pitch mark it rolls into?

Unless you have evidence that it was in it's OWN pitch mark, play it as it lies.

25-2/1 Ball Bounces Out of Its Pitch-Mark and Spins Back into It

Q. A player’s ball lands in soft ground in a closely mown area through the green, bounces out of its pitch-mark and then spins back into the pitch-mark. Is the player entitled to relief under Rule 25-2?

A. Yes. If a ball spins back into its pitch-mark, it is embedded in the pitch-mark.

25-2. Embedded Ball

A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground in any closely mown area through the green 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. "Closely mown area" means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less.

No relief if in someone else's pitch mark.

Further evidence of the stupidest rule interpretation in golf-you can move your ball out of its own pitch mark (even if it hops out of its pitch mark and rolls back in) but you can't lift a ball out a pitchmark that some other doofus left unrepaired in a closely mown area-you really have to ask youself where is the consistency in that?

rant off-this is just the latest rant in my ongoing effort to get relief from unrepaired fairway divots!!!

Thanks guys. I personally saw it jump out and roll back in. There was no other pitch mark anywhere near where it landed.

Thanks guys. I personally saw it jump out and roll back in. There was no other pitch mark anywhere near where it landed.

Wait, were you "sure" or was it "50/50"? he he he.

j/k!

At any rate, now you know the ruling.

What if it lands in your partners pitch mark before he/she can get to green and fix it.

Another rule that effects the muni player more than the pro. Thanks PGA.

The thread has nothing to do with pitch marks on the green.

How is it the PGA's fault that you don't like the rules and play at a muni?

Kevin

sorry kev. i missed the "Short of the green" part, my bad.

but to answer, and trying not the treadjackI feel there are some rules that effect players at lower end courses more so than those who pay more.

If I had this happen to me from a good distance out, there would be virtually no way of knowing for certain it was my mark my ball ended up in. If I was on pro tour i could ask a fore caddy, the gallery or check the tape. So I have to play it as it lies, and the touring pro gets relief.-yep totally fair.

In golf the equipment is not supposed to give one player the ability to buy an unfair advantage. But it is OK to hire extra eyes? How does that not give an unfair advantage to the player with the larger wallet?

The Rules of Golf are written by the USGA, not the PGA. The USGA represents all golfers who play at all types of courses. If you were competing against tour players I may see your point, but I don't believe you are comparing apples to apples.

Kevin

Again, forgive my ignorance of the governing bodies. (ive been away from golf since i was a kid and its hard to keep it all straight)

You seem to be a real proponent of always playing by the rules, and I applaud that. You knowledge is excellent.

I actually enjoy the challenge a muni presents, except the putting. I do get accused of being a sand bagger from time to time due to my lower scores at nicer courses. But those are the rules, nothing I can do but count my strokes and mark em down.

Just being a little devils advocate for the underrepresented muni players. ( and perhaps a little bitter to be called sandbagger just because I can't putt as well over moon crators or get up and down from rock/mud filled bunkers like I can on velvet and fluffy raked beach sand.)


Thread jack done. fire away!

In my experience, it is usually pretty obvious when your ball is stuck in it's own pitchmark. And almost all the time, it is going to stick in there on impact and not move. The situation described sounds pretty unusual to me. I think sometimes we are looking for perfection in this game - the game was never intended to guarantee a clean lie even in the fairway. Now if I continue to get bad situations in or near the fairway, then I look for a different place to spend my money in the future.