FAIRWAY

Ball Oscillates During Address
Ball at rest moved. By Opponent, Caddie or Equipment in MATCH PLAY
Bending Grass in Removal of Loose Impediments
By Fellow-Competitor, Caddie or Equipment in STROKE PLAY
Embedded Ball
Club Breaks During Downswing; Swing Completed But Misses Ball; Clubhead Falls and Moves Ball
Grass Cuttings
Molehills
Removal of Boundary Stake Interfering with Swing
Removing Sand or Loose Soil from Dropping Area
Replacing Divot in Divot Hole on Line of Play
Soft, Mushy Earth

Dec 18/2 Ball Oscillates During Address
Q. In addressing the ball, a player accidentally causes the ball to oscillate, but it returns to its original position. Has the ball “moved”?
A. No.

Rule 18-3 Ball at rest moved. By Opponent, Caddie or Equipment in MATCH PLAY
a. During Search
If, during search for a player’s ball, an opponent, his caddie or his equipment moves the ball, touches it or causes it to move, there is no penalty. If the ball is moved, it must be replaced.
b. Other Than During Search
If, other than during search for a player’s ball, an opponent, his caddie or his equipment moves the ball, touches it purposely or causes it to move, except as otherwise provided in the Rules, the opponent incurs a penalty of one stroke. If the ball is moved, it must be replaced.
(Playing a wrong ball – see Rule 15-3)
(Ball moved in measuring – see Rule 18-6)

Dec13-2/13 Bending Grass in Removal of Loose Impediments

Q. A player whose ball was in long grass rolled a stone away from the ball, pressing down some of the long grass in the process. Was he in breach of Rule 13-2?
A. Yes, if the pressing down of the grass improved the position or lie of his ball, the area of his intended swing or his line of play.

Rule18-4 . By Fellow-Competitor, Caddie or Equipment in STROKE PLAY
If a fellow-competitor, his caddie or his equipment moves
the player’s ball, touches it or causes it to move, there is no penalty.
If the ball is moved, it must be replaced.
[Playing a wrong ball-see Rule 15-3 ]

Rule 25-2 Embedded Ball

The rules are kind enough to allow us a free drop should our ball be embedded in its own pitch-mark in a closely mown area "through the green"

So what does that mean exactly?

First of all we need to understand some of the key words, These are

1. embedded.

2. losely mown area.

3. "through the green".

Embedded according to the rules of golf simply means a ball that comes to rest in its own pitch-mark There is no need to add more to this, such as how deep the ball must be in the pitch-mark. If there is a slight indentation in the ground made by the ball, then that is a pitch-mark, if the ball is resting in it, it is "embedded".

Closely mown area means an area where the grass has been cut to fairway height or less.

Through the green is anywhere on the course except, the teeing ground of the hole being played, any water hazard, bunker, or the putting green of the hole being played. So this would include the fringe of the green or a pathway mown through the rough between holes, the teeing ground of other holes, etc..

So how do we take relief from this situation? The rules say we may lift the ball and drop it as near as possible to where the ball lay but no nearer the hole. As with any drop we are allowed to clean the ball when it is lifted.

The committee may extend this rule to cover anywhere "through the green" and so include the rough. Indeed if you play in the U.S.A. you will almost always see this rule extended to include anywhere "through the green".

Dec 14/5 Club Breaks During Downswing; Swing Completed But Misses Ball; Clubhead Falls and Moves Ball

Q. The shaft of a player’s club broke during his downswing. The player continued his swing and missed the ball. However, the clubhead fell and moved the ball. What is the ruling?
A. The stroke counts but the player incurs no penalty. The ball must be played as it lies.

Dec13-2/17 Removal of Boundary Stake Interfering with Swing

Q. A player removes a stake defining out of bounds which interferes with his swing. Is this permissible?
A. No. Objects defining out of bounds are fixed. Improving the position of a ball by moving anything fixed is a breach of
Rule 13-2.

13-2/11 Removing Sand or Loose Soil from Dropping Area

Q. Through the green, may a player remove or brush away sand or loose soil from the area in which he is preparing to drop a ball?
A. No. Rule 13-2 prohibits improving the area in which a ball is to be dropped by removing sand or loose soil. Sand and loose soil are loose impediments only on the putting green.

Dec13-2/6 Replacing Divot in Divot Hole on Line of Play

Q. A player’s ball comes to rest close to the putting green and he wishes to use his putter for his next stroke. However, there is a divot hole just in front of his ball on his line of play. May the player replace the divot before playing his next stroke?
A. No. Rule 13-2 prohibits a player from improving his line of play by eliminating an irregularity of surface.

Dec 25/1 Soft, Mushy Earth

Q. Is soft, mushy earth casual water?
A. No. Soft, mushy earth is not casual water unless water is visible on the surface before or after the player takes his stance — see Definition of “Casual Water.”

Dec-25/11 Grass Cuttings

Grass cuttings are only ground under repair if they have been piled for removal — see Note 1 under Definition of “Ground Under Repair.” If cuttings piled for removal interfere with a player’s stance or swing, the player is entitled to relief under Rule 25-1b.
Grass cuttings are loose impediments (see Definition of “Loose Impediments”), whether or not they are piled for removal, and may be removed by the player — Rule 23-1.

Dec-25/23 Molehills

Molehills are casts made by a burrowing animal. Accordingly, a player having interference from a molehill, or the remains of a molehill, is entitled to relief under Rule 25-1b, provided, in the latter instance, the remains are still identifiable as a cast made by a burrowing animal.