Golf Rules Clarification: Divot Repair and Ball Relief Scenarios Addressed

Our Rules expert provides guidance on golf regulations. Got a question? Reach out to the expert.

I had a short chip off an uphill lie and ended up hitting about six inches behind the ball. The resulting divot stood straight up behind the ball, such that I couldn’t play toward the target on my next attempt. I tamped the divot back down, counted the whiff and played the next shot. Was the tamping allowed, or is there a penalty for altering my lie after the whiff? — Dan Bundy, Lawrenceburg, Ky.

Dan, you were not allowed to repair the divot. Since the divot improved your lie and area of intended swing, this action violated Rule 8.1, which protects these areas from improvement. As a result, you incurred two additional strokes: one for the whiff and another for the improper improvement. Your score for this hole will reflect these penalties.

Upon reaching our drives, my playing partner and I found that our golf balls were touching and perfectly lined up toward the hole. My ball was in front, so I marked it. His approach produced a massive divot; to replace my ball in its original spot would have meant being in this newly created divot. I claimed I was entitled to a free drop, he said I wasn’t. Who was right? — Brick Rigden, Parkville, Mo.

In this situation, neither player was entirely correct. Under Rule 14.2d, you were entitled to relief but not a drop. When lifting for interference, you were required to replace the ball under the specific conditions. This means replacing it on the nearest spot with a similar lie within one club-length of that spot, no nearer the hole, and in the same area of the course. This rule applies similarly in bunker situations.

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