Embedded Ball

Photo from notestomyself.net

Scott R Chilcutt, Edmond, OK (January 29, 2013)  Most events on the Golf Channel Am Tour have a "Notice to Contestants" to define many of the local rules along with any conditions that may exist that would change the players procedure from the USGA rules of golf.

This past weekend Steve Killion from the Dallas Tour sent me the following message:

I’m watching the Farmers Insurance Open and just saw Casey Wittenberg get relief for an embedded ball in the rough on the fifth hole.  Although it was “through the green” it was not a “closely mown area”.  If the same circumstance occurs in one of our tournaments, are we entitled to relief?
 

While we are not privy to the PGA Tours Conditions of Competition for this event, we do know that had there not been some stipulation to the USGA rules on embedded balls, Wittenberg would have been penalized, similar to Tiger Woods the previous weekend.


Absent any local rules that would be otherwise stated in the Notice to Contestants or Conditions of the Event the USGA rules are fairly simple:

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.

Occasionally, you may find local rules (Which our Notice to Contestants override) and or local event rules that will use the term:  "Embedded Ball Rule In Effect Through the Green".

Through the Green

“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.

In this case it's also pretty clear, you may lift, clean and drop an embedded ball as long as it's not in a hazard or teeing ground, since you'll obviously be able to lift on a green.

Many of you may know that Tiger Woods was penalized two strokes at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship for taking relief from an embedded ball in sand in the rough.  In this case, the event did stipulate that you could take relief "Through the Green" but the local rules goes on to say that a player may not take relief if his ball is embedded in sand in an area that is not closely mown, i.e. there is no free relief if the ball is embedded in sand in the rough.  See the complete R&A explanation here:

Still have a question on the Golf Course about the procedure?   Invoke Rule 3-3, IDENTIFY THE BALL YOU INTEND TO SCORE and play two balls.   We'll follow up next week with the proper procedure and some interesting situations with 3-3.

Next Up:  Hill Country Tour will be back in action at Comanche Trace for the Kerrville Championship on February 16th. The Texas Open at Horseshoe Bay, sold out after less than two weeks on the schedule, will be held on March 2nd/3rd in the heart of the Hill Country. The Dallas Tour resumes action at the Grand Prairie Classic on February 23rd and the Oklahoma Tour will await warmer conditions for the March 16th Kickingbird Challenge.


For More Information:

Scott R Chilcutt

Tour Director

Dallas / Fort Worth Tour - Hill Country Tour - Oklahoma Tour
GOLF CHANNEL Amateur Tour
405.513.1467 - 972.302.9478
schilcutt@gcamtour.com