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The Single WORST Rule in Golf!

BY Connor Lindeman
Sep 2nd 2025
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What is the single worst rule in the game of golf?

We’ve been asking our readers this, and the top reply so far is that golfers deserve relief from fairway divots. Look, I get it. You pipe one right down the middle, it ends up in a divot. It is the most maddening feeling in the game. However, this rule exists for a reason, and I will die on this incredibly small hill.

It should stand. Where would you draw the line for what constitutes a divot? Every lie in golf is different, even in the fairway. And if your response to that i,s you just know when you see it. I’m not sure the USGA can write into the rule book. Just go off vibes.

If your other response is, “Hey, just make it an automatic lift, clean in place every single time you’re in the fairway.” Is that really golf or do you just wanna be playing on a simulator?

At a certain point, you have to just adjust and react for the situation. That’s a part of the challenge of playing golf. If you’re just playing for fun and you want a perfect lie, every single time you’re in the fairway, look, go ahead. I, and I cannot stress this enough, do not care.

However, as for the actual rule, play the damn ball where it lies.

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Connor Lindeman

Connor is MyGolfSpy's resident sneakerhead and the authority on all things golf shoe performance. He's tested over 150 different pairs (and counting). When he isn't scrolling Twitter to find his next golf shoe purchase, you can find him at the piano or trying a new dessert place with his wife and daughter. #Lefty

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Connor Lindeman

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comments

Join The Discussion

Mike Kelsen

11 months ago

Thought the purpose of the new rules a few years ago was to speed up play. 99.5% of golfers that follow the rules (no foot wedges, etc.) out there DO NOT know how to properly hit out of a divot, thus resulting in a skulled shot, or a fat chunk, which forces another stroke from God knows where. And, yes, it is easy to identify a divot from a divot that is “mostly healed”. In tournament play, if there is a question, ask for advice from your opponents and they are the ruling party. DUMBEST RULE IN GOLF…..STILL, no matter what your take is on it.

E

11 months ago

I look at it like this: if you can pick, clean and replace your ball on the green, in addition to improving divots, target line and other debris in your path, why not on the fairway?

The issue, for me, mainly has to do with first players, followed by the field, who can modify the playing surface in subtle ways. The front runners have an advantage their followers don’t, and that’s a pristine fairway to hit from.

There are numerous rules that allow relief. Why penalize players who hit the intended landing area ,to then land in a divot that would risk a followup errant shot?

James Mitchell

11 months ago

How about penalizing the player who didn’t repair their divot?

LeRoy Valley

11 months ago

Sorry, but worst take ever. When you hit the ball where you are supposed to hit it you shouldn’t be penalized. Don’t give me this “Where do we draw the line” BS… An unrepaired divot is obvious to 99% of the golfing population. I’m fine if I land in a repaired divot, but not when the ball is now sitting below ground level. It IS the worst non-rule in golf.

Monty Venable

11 months ago

To all those standing on the hill — bite me!

Krauter

11 months ago

Rub of the green. Suck it up and hit a shot. And you get an extra pat on the back, if you don’t make a big scene, letting the whole world know your ball found a divot.

Don W.

11 months ago

As an avid golfer and someone who works as a ranger at a course why should I be penalized because another golfer (or in cases where the course doesn’t offer sand containers for golfers,) be penalized because of laziness. Most amateur golfers don’t fill divots, rake sand traps or repair ball marks on the green. Common sense is lacking as is golf courtesy on my courses

Tim

11 months ago

Then … If that’s the way it is, then why rake the bunkers? Why fix a hazard and leave a fairway. For the pros, they purposely hit into bunkers because they can get out of them 99% of the time. To start the tournament they should be raked and raked after each round. But not raked after someone hits out of them. It’s supposed to be a hazard. Players can’t drag their feet or clubs while leaving the bunker. Penalize players if they do.

Graeme

11 months ago

Fairway divots are man-made – not naturally occurring. Their makers are supposed to repair them, not leave the course in a damaged state. Unrepaired divots should not exist. They are an artificially made hole lying in wait to trap a passing ball. Free relief (150cms/6 inches) is common sense.

Dale

11 months ago

This has been a huge conversation in last couple years. Especially after covid. Golf has become a huge game now. Courses are crowded with ppl that do not know course etiquette .. nature of the beast. I believe if a player can hit the ball straight into the fairway he should not be penalized because of an uneducated or in considerate player repairing their divot. Just does not make sense to me. My playing partner can hit an off center tee shot in the rough and can get a better lie than a 1″ divot or larger??? No, no, no, … you mean to tell me that a player that puts time in the game to hit ball straight should get penalized??? Come on!!!! Common sense.. pick ball out of divot and take a free relief drop. Plain and simple.

Steve K

11 months ago

Thankfully my leagues play winter rules year round, which means bumping in the fairway. Playing weekends at other courses we do the same. Not playing for money, what’s the big deal? Golf is supposed to be fun for us amateurs.

Mickey

11 months ago

This author is correct. Whenever I hear this argument for relief my first question is “when does a divot cease to be a divot?” 25% grown in? 50% grown in? Sanded or not sanded/repaired? Wait a minute, is that actually a divot or just a mowing imperfection? Play it as it lies. Bad breaks (and good breaks) are part of the game.

Andrew the Great!

11 months ago

Let’s see everyone who thinks it’s the worst rule in golf define “divot”. Define “divot” sufficiently so that it provides fair relief, but NOT unfair relief. Go ahead, I dare ya. Let’s see what ya got.

Can’t be done. Too many vagaries are involved in defining “divot” fairly.

The worst rule WOULD be whatever rule they came up with to provide relief.

“It should stand. Where would you draw the line for what constitutes a divot? Every lie in golf is different, even in the fairway. And if your response to that i,s you just know when you see it. I’m not sure the USGA can write into the rule book. Just go off vibes.” Spot-on, Connor.

WAYNE GILMORE

11 months ago

What I see when a Ball ends up in a divot is the JERK that made the Divot did not have to worry, His ball is lying on a nice patch of fairway Green grass. Some Courses have a Bag of Sand hooked on their Golf Cart and should be placing the sand on the divot they made, BUT most players do not even think of that. CHEAP, You can’t even get most players to rake the sand bunkers. The PROs piss and moan about the conditions of the Fairway, Especially the Greens, and how high the grass is cut.

Krauter

11 months ago

Word.

Chris

11 months ago

Divot definition- a piece of turf cut out of the ground by a golf club! I don’t care what people say about this subject I’ve always said this rule SUCKS! The guys on tour play the best manicured golf courses in the world, they play for a lot of money, most of these guys hit the ball in the same area of the fairway, so (yes) you can tell what a divot is at that level on those courses! If you hit where your suppose to you shouldn’t be penalized! Golf is designed to hit the ball in certain areas… (Fairway & greens) You fix ball marks and spike marks on the green so why not take a drop from a divot in the fairway!

Friday Golfer

11 months ago

I WILL KNOW IT when I see it. Just like pornography.

The Dittzzzz

11 months ago

Preffered lie covers it. Winter rules’. All year round. As it should be. No brainer unless you are some kind of maga evolution irrationlist mogwamp.

Richard Pope

11 months ago

It’s not the same level playing field if the players ahead of you have prime playing surface and you don’t. The rule should be changed or make a rule where the divots have to be repaired are penalties will occur.

itsteetime

11 months ago

Well, I’m disappointed when my ball finishes in a divot. Then, I remember that I’m supposed to hit the ball first. It gets me in the mindset that I can play this shot. Then, I fill the now deeper, larger divot and as many as I can around it … without delaying play.

Of course, I’m not happy to being in a divot. It is a challenge.

RD

11 months ago

I remember a golf instructor giving me a drill where I was to hit the ball in a divot…on the range. To force a downward strike on the ball.

As for the fairway, if it’s in a divot, play it as it is. It’s the right thing to do. The author and several posters summed it up nicely.

Scott

11 months ago

This is why I always hit the ball into the rough, woods, or ponds. Don’t have to worry about fairway divots.

Tom Sampson

11 months ago

Or, you can use my approach. Just don’t hit it as far as most people and avoid the normal landing areas. There are some benefits for slower swing speeds. We play in unused parts of the fairway. That is, when I am lucky enough to hit the fairway. :)

Phil Wiseman

11 months ago

A divit is just an animal scape made by a 6ft ape with a stick rather than it’s hands.
You get relief if it’s a shallower hole made by anything with fur or feathers, what’s the diffence?

Dave

11 months ago

I’m still trying to figure out what that realy short grass is between my goal of the short ruff not near the forest of trees or the hazards on the other side of that really short grass in the middle. I haven’t visited it yet. Sounds treacherous with all those nasty divots all over the place!

Mark R

11 months ago

The problem is – what’s a divot? Is it from today or last month and mostly filled in.
Playing the ball down eliminates any guesswork.
Or make a local course rule and lift & place for all fairways.
Consistency is what’s important.

Bill B.

11 months ago

Aim for the divot.
% of hitting my target is slim.
😉

Man on a hill

11 months ago

Hope there’s room for me on that hill! The game mimics life…you do everything right and then your hard work is overcome by a setback. Dig deep and meet the challenge. The 2×2 local rule is another travesty caused by the search of the perfect lie. Figure it out, get creative. You want perfect lies…play sim golf leave the outdoor game alone.

JohnB

11 months ago

Sorry, but no. If I hit down the middle, and end up shanking the ball because it’s in a divot made by a gorilla, I’m pissed. Imagine if we all had fairways and greens surrounded by fans and stands, stopping our ball from going OB? The pros are amazing athletes, but you can’t argue they get major advantages from this. Why can’t I remove my ball from an inch deep divot in the fairway?

OpMan

11 months ago

Ever played a shot out of the rough? Different kinds of grass type rough. Bermuda, Fescue, Rye, Paspalum, etc ….. sometimes you get small 3 inch clumps of rough here and there and your ball comes along and sits in front of one these growing clumps. You put your club behind the ball – well, you try – and the club sits on top of the clump but the ball is a good 2 inches in front and down towards the target. What do you do? How do you hit that? The number of times I’ve either caught a flyer, a shank, or a scuffed hook, is mindboggling. But it just happens. It’s part of the course. You play as it lies. Divot is an INTEGRAL part of the game, of the Rules. Don’t want to play by the Rules? I’m sure there are plenty of other sports that do not require you to be honourable where the opposition or the Ref calls the foul or penalty for you, why don’t you go do those. Or fishing LMAO

Tony P

11 months ago

Bingo

JohnC

11 months ago

Bullshit. You cannot compare playing out of the rough to a divot on the fairway. Free drop from a divot on the fairway!

JohnB

11 months ago

It really depends on how deep the divot is. I was referring to the 1 inchers that some hack refused to replace or cover with sand. If I was in a tournament, of course play it as it lies. Other than that, I’m taking relief.

Marshall

11 months ago

There’s weights in these FISH! WE GOT WEIGHTS IN FISH!

vito

11 months ago

We have a rule with guys I play with. If we are playing a private or well cared for public course we play everything down. It it’s a well traveled public with nice, but pock marked fairways and greens we take relief.

Bob

11 months ago

If you take a divot and replace it, no relief from that repair. If the fairway divot is not repaired a free drop.
Why is it when people spout off by playing strictly by the rules a 5 to 6 hour round of golf occurs?

Tony P

11 months ago

You are conflating people who are slow with knowing & playing by the rules of golf. There are sooo many reason why people play slowly. There should be a test, regarding how to play fast – particularly in golf carts, before you can get on the golf course

Andrew the Great!

11 months ago

Define “divot” for purposes of a fair rule. Define “repaired” in the same context.

Can’t be done.

Ricky

11 months ago

You should not be punished for striping a ball down the fairway. Period. Especially because someone else didn’t replace their divot 2 days ago.

Ricky

11 months ago

You should not be punished for striping a ball down the fairway. Period. Especially because someone else didn’t replace their divot 3 days ago.

Old Coastie

11 months ago

I play for fun. Hitting a ball out of a divot is not fun. And some divots are worse than others. A patch of bare ground on a golf course is normally considered ground under repair. A divot is bare ground and the same rule should apply.

Ryan

11 months ago

“ If your other response is, “Hey, just make it an automatic lift, clean in place every single time you’re in the fairway.” Is that really golf or do you just wanna be playing on a simulator?”

Is the pga tour playing simulator golf every time they allow lift, clean, place for the tiniest bit of rain?

OpMan

11 months ago

Close to it, they do play in that clown indoor league curated by Eldrick Tont the Skirt Chaser LMAO

Jim C.

11 months ago

I hope we can all agree that this discussion is relative to a ball in the fairway only. I’m a firm believer that the ball should never be touched out side the fairway, unless there is a clear rule that allows a player to take relief (artificial obstruction, sprinkler head, temporary standing water, etc.). Also, when playing a weekend round (or weekday) with your buddies, lift-clean-place in your own fairway is fine. However, in tournament golf where the goal is to determine the best player or players for the event, the ball should be played down, given the fairways are in good enough shape, (i.e. grounds crew doesn’t have to white out most of the fairway). The big problem with providing divot relief in the fairway, is the abuse that will definitely take place. Unfortunately many players move the ball all the time, fairways, rough, even bunkers. I can hear it now – “Hey, I’m taking relief from this old divot.” “Really? How old is the divot? Are you even in a divot or do you just not like your lie?” Fair competition demands an even playing field. A divot relief rule will be abused like no other Rule of Golf.

Gareth Parry

11 months ago

When is a divot no longer a divot. If it has been filled but not grown in, is it still a divot. Play it as it lies, no where in the rules does it say that you get a perfect lie for every shot.

Pat

11 months ago

In a perfect world there are no unfilled divots. If we all take care of the course we get better lies and smoother rolling putts.

Mike

11 months ago

I do play the ball down because, luckily, my course conditions are still good But given that public play has dramatically increased and there are many more idiots out there taking divots with their multiple practice swings, definitely relief from divots. So few people fix them or even pour sand in them it’s laughable. Fairway should equal “fair lie”.

Craig Seaver

11 months ago

Easy. If players ball comes to rest in fairway of hole being played, and is in an area obviously struck by a golf club with the ball no longer touching any grass, player is allowed free relief no closer to the hole and within 1 club length from resting spot.

Hector Centeno

11 months ago

I disagree with the writer…. They changed the rule of fixing cleat marks from people who drag their feet. So if the mentality of that is because it was caused by a man then so should a divot? It was caused by a man or woman and most times they are never fixed…. Except at nicer golf venues so and even then it is still a man-made situation that is not your fault. They get relief from man-made objects like stands and sprinkler heads….??

AR42

11 months ago

If people would take 30 seconds to replace/repair their divots, this would be less of an issue.

The Swami

11 months ago

nope. if you get relief from sprinkler heads in the fairway, drains, etc, which are as much a part of the fairway as the grass, you should get relief from divots.
i will also die on the opposite hill that if you succeed at the course designer’s intent and hit the ball in the short grass, the result should not be a one stroke penalty (even for the pros, playing a mud ball or divot ball is 50/50 at best). period.
why am I allowed to clean up around my ball on the green then? how or why is that any different? it’s also where youo’re supposed to be.

OpMan

11 months ago

You get relief from sprinkler heads and drainage grates etc – because you will BREAK YOUR CLUB AND YOUR HAND playing off them LMAO
You know golf has Rules and the Rules make the game?
But you also know don’t NEED to or HAVE to play golf, you know that, right? There are so many other sports and games…… why don’t you go play pickleball so somebody can hit the ball past you, and then get into a fight arguing whether that ball hit the line or not LMAO

James S

11 months ago

Golf is hard enough. A perfect shot should not be penalized by a frigging hole in the ground your competition left behind with or without malice of forethought. Moving the ball 4 inches to the left or right of said hole and playing on makes about as much difference as the gas I briefly passed last Tuesday. Change the rule!!

OpMan

11 months ago

By moving the ball out of the divot, would YOU make sure you replace THAT one you took the ball out of AND the new one you made? What do you think would happen if we let this rule go? We would make MORE divots on the course than necessary creating even more DAMAGE that needs repairing.
Why don’t you educate people about the Rules AS IS, play AS IS, repair more than one divot around you if you see them and are standing around waiting for your playing partner, and take care of the course? So much easier. And nicer, to do.
In all the times I’ve played golf over the last 35 years, I’ve only ever been in a proper divot around 50 or 60 times which is nothing compared to the number of shots I’ve taken and is probably comparable to the number of fried egg lies I’ve had in soft bunkers. I’ve played them all down, and learned from each one. End of.

The Swami

11 months ago

OpMan – “great” analysis that golf has rules so there is no possibility of discussion because rules never ever can be changed even by the R&A or PGA. good gravy.

instead of old-man-shaking-fist-at-cloud maybe entertain the idea there are alternatives.

you know you don’t NEED to be so rigid that you can’t consider any possible rule changes or improvements. I guess we should throw out everything they did a few years ago on that rationale as well?

you still didn’t bother addressing the logic of hitting out of a probable-even-for-pros penalty result/situation (divot) when in the targeted area (fairway). perhaps because you’ve never hit it there? or why it’s accepted in the current rules to allow that but not to have to hit out of a plugged divot on a green (assuming you’ve ever hit one of those either)?

OpMan

11 months ago

True that rules have been changed on many subjects –
like I said I’ve been in divots like everybody else – I play by the Rules as they are written. Until that changes I’ll keep playing by the Rules.
If the divots rule changes in the future then you and everybody else can call us on it, but as it is now, the Rules state you’re playing it

KJC

11 months ago

I will stand with you on this hill, if there is room.

Friday Golfer

11 months ago

Why is there relief from plugged lie? Learn to play as conditions exist–dont hit the ball so high–just as you would learn to play out on 2 inch deep divot. Why are we allowed to fix marks on the greens? Play as it lies.

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