Minnesota Golfer - Travel 2023 - 9

RULES PRIMER
Minjee Lee, Unplugged
A recent ruling in the U.S. Women's Open reminds
us of the quirks of the embedded ball rule.
O
n the 14th hole of this year's final
round of the U.S. Women's Open at
Pebble Beach, Minjee Lee's golf ball embedded
in some fescue grass next to a green-side
bunker. She asked for relief under Rule 16.3
" Embedded Ball " but was denied relief. A
seemingly harsh ruling during an important
moment, but the right decision according to
the Rules of Golf. Read on to learn why.
Relief for an embedded ball is allowed
only when a player's ball lies in the General
Area. There are two exceptions. There is
NO relief under this Rule: (1) when the ball
is embedded in sand in a part of the general
area that is not cut to fairway height or
less (embedded in sand in the rough-no
relief) or (2) when playing the ball as it lies is
clearly unreasonable because of something
other than the ball being embedded (the
player is unable to make a stroke because
the ball lies wedged between tree roots but
happens to be embedded-no relief).
A ball is embedded only if it's in its own
pitch-mark made as result of the player's previous
stroke, and part of the ball is below the
level of the ground. Please note that the ball
may bounce and still become embedded. The
ball doesn't have to " fly " into the ground.
Three things that do not qualify as an
embedded ball are when: (1) the ball is
pushed into the ground by someone stepping
on it or something driving over it, (2)
the ball is driven straight into the ground
without it becoming airborne, or (3) the ball
was dropped in taking relief under a Rule.
In situation 1, stepping on the ball, Rule 9
(Ball Moved) and Rule 14.2d (where to place
a ball when the original lie is altered) would
apply. In situations 2 and 3, the ball must be
played as it lies, or the player must proceed
under another applicable Rule, such as Rule
19 " Unplayable Ball. "
When a player's ball is embedded in the
general area and relief is allowed under
Rule 16.3, the player may take free relief
by dropping the original ball or another
ball
in a relief area (see diagram). The
relief area has a reference point in the general
area directly behind where the ball is
embedded, and the size of this relief area
is one club length. However, the relief area
must be in the general area and must not be
nearer the hole than the
reference point.
Regarding Minjee Lee's
situation, she was denied
relief because the ball was
embedded in sand in a
part of the general area
that was not cut to fairway
height or less.
Consider
" embedding "
yourself in the Rules of Golf
book to learn more about
this Rule and others for
help in your next round.
A
* BY BILL HOMEYER *
B
C
Relevant Definitions
Embedded
When a player's ball is in its own
pitch-mark made as a result of the
player's previous stroke and where
part of the ball is below the level of
the ground (see image A).
A ball does not necessarily have
to touch soil to be embedded (for
example, grass and loose impediments
may be between the ball and
the soil-see image B).
General Area
The area of the course that covers
all of the course except for the
other four defined areas: (1) the teeing
area the player must play from
in starting the hole they are playing,
(2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers
and (4) the putting green of the hole
the player is playing.
mngolf.org
Travel 2023 MINNESOTAGOLFER 9
ILLUSTRATIONS COURTESY OF THE USGA
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Travel 2023

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