Linda…my question today involves the definition of being
embedded in your own pitch mark. During a recent round I came up short of a
green with an iron shot. The grass right in front of the green was fairly long
and a little damp. I did not see the ball bounce but knew it was just short of
the green. Turns out my ball was in the deep grass in front of the
green and appeared to be in the original spot in which it came down as it
was lying pretty deep in the grass and appeared to be slightly embedded. I
consulted my playing partner and he agreed it was in its own pitch mark. However,
when I took my drop the ball still nestled down pretty deep in the grass and
was not a whole lot better off than the original one was which made me
question whether or not I was truly in my pitch mark or just in deep grass. After
I picked up my original ball it did appear that it was sitting in a small
ball indentation in the ground but being in fairly deep grass it was
not obvious that this was the case. Additionally my original ball did
not have any mud on it. So, the question is…what is the definition of a
pitch mark? In other words, is there a distance that the ball must be below the
surface or the ground to consider it to be in its own pitch mark or is the
simple agreement of the people playing together good enough?
Thanks,
Lou from Texas
Dear Lou,
A pitch mark is the indentation a ball makes when it hits
the ground. Pitch marks commonly occur on putting greens, but can also occur
elsewhere when the ground is soft. A ball is embedded in its own pitch mark
when it stays put where it landed, is partially (or sometimes completely) below
the level of the ground, and is stuck in the depression. It does not necessarily
have to touch the ground to be considered embedded – grass or loose impediments
may lie between the ball and the ground [Decision 25-2/0.5 – this Decision includes helpful diagrams].
If your ball did not bounce when it landed, and it is
nestled snugly in a depression the exact shape of the bottom of the ball, it is
embedded in its own pitch mark. The fact that no mud adheres to the ball does
not change this conclusion.
However, there is another issue to consider. In order to
take relief under the embedded ball rule, your ball must be embedded in a
closely mown area [Rule 25-2]. Long grass does not meet the definition of
“closely mown.” Unless the Local Rule is in effect that allows relief for an
embedded ball “through the green,” you are not entitled to free relief for a
ball embedded in its own pitch mark in long grass.
Linda
Copyright © 2014 Linda Miller. All rights reserved.
