Dear Linda,
My ball was in the rough on the right-hand side of the fairway in an area marked as ground under repair. My nearest point of relief was on the fairway (I am right-handed). My friends wouldn’t let me drop on the fairway. They insisted that if your ball is in the rough you have to drop in the rough. What was I supposed to do?
Lulu
Dear Lulu,
There is no distinction in the rules between fairway and rough. If your ball is in the rough in ground under repair (GUR), and the nearest point of relief is on the fairway, then that is where you are entitled (required, actually) to take your free drop (Decision 24-2b/8).
Conversely, you may someday find your ball in GUR on the fairway, and realize (to your dismay) that your nearest point of relief will be in the rough.
Be aware that you are not required to take relief from GUR (unless the golf course has a local rule to the contrary). Sometimes your lie and your line of play will be better if you just stay put and hit your ball where it lies.
There aren’t a whole lot of rules that allow you to improve your situation. This is one of them. Enjoy your rare good fortune and drop that ball on the fairway.
Linda
Copyright © 2008 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
