Ball plugged on fairway

Often i was told that i can lift the ball and hav a free drop if it is plugged in the ground.

Can anyone tell me if this is allowed under the R&A?

yes thats permissible

Actually, the rule will always be to play the ball as it lies......unless local rules permit otherwise, e.g. due to bad weather conditions......ie 'winter' rules.....

25-2 EMBEDDED BALL

A ball embedded (plugged) 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.
“Through the green” is the whole area of the course, except:
a. The teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played; and b. All hazards on the course.


http://carramarsocialgolfclub.org.au/attachments/article/54/Rule%2025-2%20(Embedded%20Ball).pdf

golfool2009 wrote:

Actually, the rule will always be to play the ball as it lies......unless local rules permit otherwise, e.g. due to bad weather conditions......ie 'winter' rules.....

no leh think can always take out if embedded or plugged and dropped anyway nearby except nearer the pin without penalty.. i stand corrected tho but thats my understanding

Great topic! I would like to understand as well. Thanks for sharing.

@DRGir72 : The rule says "embedded in its own pitch-mark"; not sure if this addresses the topic that says plugged on "fairway".

How we play is.....Steal the thread from golfool i.e. play the ball as it lies......unless local rules permit otherwise, e.g. due to bad weather conditions......ie 'winter' rules.....

Embedded in its own pitch mark = plugged

Very simple, next time don't tell people your ball is plugged, tell them "it is embedded in its own pitch mark", then you can have free lift without argument ...

Sorry I was not more clear as I did a quick search on R&A plugged ball in fairway and this is one of the things that came up.

I assumed, maybe my mistake, that people would know that plugged and embedded in own pitch mark would be the same thing.

I have played in many tournaments and never once thought a plugged ball in closely mown areas would not result a free drop. In a hazard is a totally different story.

DRGjr72 wrote:

Sorry I was not more clear as I did a quick search on R&A plugged ball in fairway and this is one of the things that came up.

I assumed, maybe my mistake, that people would know that plugged and embedded in own pitch mark would be the same thing.

I have played in many tournaments and never once thought a plugged ball in closely mown areas would not result a free drop. In a hazard is a totally different story.

Don't be...in fact, it is good for my understanding. Thx.
Meaning to say, if the ball plugged in the rough (says 1st cut), the free-drop ruling no loger applies? Thx

http://www.randa.org/en/RandA/News/Features/2010/December/Preferred-Lies.aspx

It appears that there is no relief in the rough unless there is a local rule or conditions merit such a thing. In my experience if the conditions warrant it, they will have a rule that allows relief.

It is one of those rules that is silly as why should you be penalized if you ball plugs?? If it is embedded in its own pitch mark and not in a hazard, that should be a free drop.

DRGjr72 wrote:

http://www.randa.org/en/RandA/News/Features/2010/December/Preferred-Lies.aspx

It appears that there is no relief in the rough unless there is a local rule or conditions merit such a thing. In my experience if the conditions warrant it, they will have a rule that allows relief.

It is one of those rules that is silly as why should you be penalized if you ball plugs?? If it is embedded in its own pitch mark and not in a hazard, that should be a free drop.

think the rationale here is if the ball is in the rough or plugged in the rough , both situations are deemed same as it would then be in some unfortunate lie which the golfer has to deal with, hence no relief ... sometimes ball in rough is so bad that it cant even be seen as grass is v thick n tall...

whereas if ball is plugged in a closely mowed lawn r fairway it is given relief cos there is a clear distinction bt the grass height in a fairway vs rough and one shouldnt be penalised when one manages to hit the ball to the fairway where normally the lie shd be very good ....

Normally for embedded ball in rough, there is no relief, unless there is a local rule for embedded ball through the green.

In the case of whether the ball is embedded in the rough, there is a way to check. Inform your competitor that you want to check and identify the ball, and feel if there is an indentation in the ground where the ball sits, if there is then it is considered embedded. If there isn't then it is obvious.

The following link explained very clearly on rule 25-2, check it out.

http://www.barryrhodes.com/2010/12/embedded-ball-rule-25-2.html

Hope this helps.

I think for winter rule, the ball can be picked up and clean before the next shot even if it isnt plucked/embedded.

what if the flight in front of u never repair their pitch marks on the fairway and your ball drops / gets plugged in their pitch mark?

neutralgolfer wrote:

Normally for embedded ball in rough, there is no relief, unless there is a local rule for embedded ball through the green.

In the case of whether the ball is embedded in the rough, there is a way to check. Inform your competitor that you want to check and identify the ball, and feel if there is an indentation in the ground where the ball sits, if there is then it is considered embedded. If there isn't then it is obvious.

The following link explained very clearly on rule 25-2, check it out.

http://www.barryrhodes.com/2010/12/embedded-ball-rule-25-2.html

Hope this helps.

I had a good read; well detailed out. Thanks to all for sharing! Cheers!

scottycollector wrote:

what if the flight in front of u never repair their pitch marks on the fairway and your ball drops / gets plugged in their pitch mark?

the rule states :

When is a ball considered to be embedded?

It must be in its own pitch-mark with part of the ball below the level of the ground. However, the ball does not necessarily have to touch the soil to be considered embedded, e.g., grass or loose impediments may intervene between the ball and the soil (Decision 25-2/0.5).

So ur ball MUST create the pitch-mark or plug hole. If it simply rolls into an existing one, my understanding is that u play as it lies. However if u can establish ur ball in flight upon impact actually created the pitch-mark inside an existing pitch-mark then relief shd be given

wah, very chim ...

one has to be very fortunate to create a pitch nark of its own inside an existing pitck-mark from the front flight ...

its more difficult than tio to-to ... IMHO .... :lol

neutralgolfer wrote:

Normally for embedded ball in rough, there is no relief, unless there is a local rule for embedded ball through the green.

In the case of whether the ball is embedded in the rough, there is a way to check. Inform your competitor that you want to check and identify the ball, and feel if there is an indentation in the ground where the ball sits, if there is then it is considered embedded. If there isn't then it is obvious.

The following link explained very clearly on rule 25-2, check it out.

http://www.barryrhodes.com/2010/12/embedded-ball-rule-25-2.html

Hope this helps.

Wow...i had my share on readg this rule n its veri clear!
Hve saved in my hp n wil used whenever neccessary upon dispute, understandg etc...
Tx bro aka neutralgolfer.

Hi Des, what book or article is that? Seems like it explain the rules and applying them to clubs in Sg

mengteck71 wrote:

Hi Des, what book or article is that? Seems like it explain the rules and applying them to clubs in Sg

One of the local golf magazine, can't remember which one. Took the pic sometime back.

2008 wrote:

mengteck71 wrote:

Hi Des, what book or article is that? Seems like it explain the rules and applying them to clubs in Sg

One of the local golf magazine, can't remember which one. Took the pic sometime back.

Wow...kamsia fr sharg, bro des.
Btw, any bros here knw of this rules tat can oso apply on local courses ie: MBGC, KRANJI, CHANGI beside Warren & Sentosa?

jeffman88 wrote:

scottycollector wrote:

what if the flight in front of u never repair their pitch marks on the fairway and your ball drops / gets plugged in their pitch mark?

the rule states :

When is a ball considered to be embedded?

It must be in its own pitch-mark with part of the ball below the level of the ground. However, the ball does not necessarily have to touch the soil to be considered embedded, e.g., grass or loose impediments may intervene between the ball and the soil (Decision 25-2/0.5).

So ur ball MUST create the pitch-mark or plug hole. If it simply rolls into an existing one, my understanding is that u play as it lies. However if u can establish ur ball in flight upon impact actually created the pitch-mark inside an existing pitch-mark then relief shd be given

So when should we actually repair our pitch marks on the fairway?
Say my ball is embedded and I take it out of the pitch mark.
Should I repair the pitch mark first then drop my ball or drop first, hit then repair?

Alamak, until today then I know it's drop and not place

scarynight wrote:

So when should we actually repair our pitch marks on the fairway?
Say my ball is embedded and I take it out of the pitch mark.
Should I repair the pitch mark first then drop my ball or drop first, hit then repair?

Good question: i would say anytime before u leave the spot for your next shot - personally i would do it after I hv remove the ball from its pitchmark and taken the shot... (in case i create another divot and and so more productive to do the repairing of the 2 after - the pitchmark and divot )