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Rules of the Game
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| Ball mark off the putting green |
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| Completely detached divot |
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| Semi-detached divot |
Golfers commonly hear the phrases, "Repair your ball marks" and
"Replace your divot."
Yes, those are key requirements in maintaining a healthy golf
course. However, in abiding by The Rules of Golf, there's a proper place and
time for both those suggestions.
Ball marks off the putting green shouldn't be repaired immediately, because
repairing a ball mark on the fringe or in the fairway before you make your
next stroke could result in a penalty under Rule 13-2 (Improving Lie, Area
of Intended Stance or Swing, or Line of Play).
In the photo to the right, a shot came up just short of the green, left a
ball mark in the fringe, and the ball popped out just behind the ball mark.
Because the ball is not on the putting surface, the following applies:
"A player must not improve or allow to be improved:
• the position or lie of the ball.
• area of the intended stance or swing.
• the line of play or a reasonable extension of that line beyond the
hole."
Fixing the ball mark before your next stroke would result in a
two-stroke penalty in this case. Same goes if the ball had popped a few
inches forward, but you fixed the ball mark because it was going to
interfere with the backstroke of your putter.
Remember, take your next stroke, then repair the ball mark. That will
keep you from being penalized, and help keep the course in top condition.
A divot that is completely detached from the ground can be considered a
loose impediment and can be removed, provided the ball will not move as a
result of the divot being removed.
A divot that is not entirely detached from the ground cannot be considered a
loose impediment and therefore cannot be removed or altered before making
your next swing.
Removing the divot that's still attached would result in a two-stroke
penalty. Once you've played the shot, however, you should repair the
turf damage so the next player doesn't encounter the same thing.
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