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Is this the worst rule in golf?

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Steve Wilson:
As a parting shot for the night--another snipped of the Reilly column.

10. ... Having to hit out of a divot in the middle of a fairway is the "worst rule in golf [13-1]," says Tiger Woods.

Now I don't care who said it, what do you think of it as a rule.  I've played on courses where divots were the best ground available--at least they were level.

I'm not looking for nominees for the "worst rule award", but I am curious about reactions to a situation that to me is clearly part of the game.  I wonder what the proffered solution would be--a free drop or the ever popular lift, clean and tee it up.

Neal_Meagher:
Lift, clean and tee it up again?

Come on now.  You are right, it is clearly a part of the game and one of the few true rub of the greens that still exist (i.e. styme is gone also).

Mr. Woods is far more accomplished than this guy, but even I find the challenge of gouging one out of a divot quite exciting.  Often, because it does make one bear down and THINK, it turns out to be my best shot of the day.

Let Tiger go after the C.O.R. bad guys.  I vote for rub of the green.

Oh yeah, it also reminds me of, once upon a time a decade ago, working with a SoCal club with a head pro of the uber-American style ilk. He was quite disgusted by a small little bump that had crept into the middle of the fairway during construction.  He was flabberghasted that somebody could stripe one down the middle and NOT have a FLAT lie.

I wonder if he just watched the Open last week?

Dennis_Harwood:
I think Tiger and Reilly have it wrong-- There is no Rule that says you have to hit it out of the divot, there simply isn't a Rule that lets you pick the ball up and place it on the lie you would like when its in a divot(actually there is such a Rule--Its Rule 28 and for a one stroke penalty, Tiger, you can take relief from the divot)--

Its kind of like life-- You do what you are "supposed" to do and of course you will suffer no adversities--And if you do suffer any you should not have to face the challenge to work around the adversities, rather someone else should help me out(conversely when I hit a terrible drive in the rough and draw a good lie, why that's just a break I deserve)

ForkaB:
When I was young and foolish I did things which were young and foolish, such as write to the USGA about rules I thought were inequitable.  The lack of relief from an unrepaired divot mark in the fairway was one of them.  The other was the lack of relief from an unraked bunker.

My argument then (and now, come to think of it) is that a player should not be penalized for the breach of etiquette of another player.  Yes, I know that this is probably yet another "slippery slope" but regardlesss of what Richard Tufts may or may have not said, I do not think that this is equitable/right.  Why should the player who does not conform to the spirit of the game (i.e. the divot non-replacer, the bunker non-raker) have an advantage over the player who comes after him or her adn probably does?

Go ahead, "luddites"--stone me!

Chris Kane:
It sounds fine in theory to allow a free drop from fairway divots, but in practise the rule would be impossible to operate.  What constitutes a fairway divot?  What about a divot that is 3/4 grown over?  Whats the difference between a tiny gap in the turf coverage, and a hole created by a shot?

Allowing a free drop would see golfers claiming relief whenever they get a bad lie.  Surely there are more pressing issues in golf than a silly rule change like this?

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