Non-marked ground under repair

[dscoduc]

My ball landed just over the green up on the slope. When I walked up I noticed the ball was resting on a small circular dirt patch surrounded by thick grass. My playing partner said it should have been marked as ground under repair and that I should just move my ball. I agreed the dirt patch sucked but figured I should play it where it lies.

 

As expected I hit it thin down the slope and across the green.

 

What is the rules on this. What would you have done?

[BIG STU]

In every day play the course is not marked and scrutinized by the greens staff as say it would be in a stipulated round or a Tour event. IMHO a lot of it is left up to the individual on that. Actually in the rules of golf itself it gives you some common sense latitude for stuff like that. In any of the groups I play in all you would had to do was call another member of the group over and confer. Any of the groups I play in would have said 'move it no penalty no problem" 

[JAGolfore]

I agree with STU. Your group can come to this conclusion.

 

When in doubt play 2 balls and have the head official or pro check the spot after the round.

 

 

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[DiscipleofPenick]

Public golf is what it is. As said above there is latitude. Especially given that your opponent agreed/gave permission that it should be GUR.

 

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[Big money]

About 95% of the guys I play or join up would've moved it.

[Jmikecpa]

We use common sense at my club and the normal guys I play with would have all said move it.  

[dscoduc]

Thanks everyone. Clearly I should have moved my ball... I'll file that in my head for future reference.

[Kenny B]

My only concern is that your ball is over the green, on dirt, surrounded by thick grass.  How is that any different than being on dirt in the rough off the fairway?  I wouldn't hesitate to play it as it lied.

[Kor.A.Door]

I think it would depend on how the dirt got there, did the golf course dig a hole then fill it in, in which case it would be GIR, or was it natural.

 

In our game on saturdays our course has a lot of water run off so we get a lot of dirt spots or bare ground in places, usually just of the fairway, or just out of the rough heading toward the trees, there's lots of rocks and tree roots, we have a general rule that we dont hurt ourselves or our clubs while making a swing, so if we find that we will hit the rock or tree roots we just move the ball, for bare dirt spots we decide as a group, we are pretty relaxed with these types of issues, we are there to have fun.