So the ground has been soft and mushy and several times at the local course a high ball has embedded on landing. I read this rule:-

25-2. Embedded Ball
A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground in any closelymown area through the green may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not earer the hole.The ball when dropped must first strike a part of the course through the green. “Closely-mown area” means any area of the course, including paths through the rough, cut to fairway height or less

So, ball goes in air, lands on fairway and sinks into an inch of mud = free relief. We've used this rule far more than we should have in the last few weeks and have already considered it's time to change courses for a while.

The thing is, last week I played a god-awful shot with my hybrid that went about a foot forwards with a 10degree downward angle. This lead to a ball embedded by about three quarters its height at the end of a 12 inch long scar. There was no casual water.

What's the right way to deal with this? We're only playing for fun so it doesn't really matter but I'd like to know.

if its not on the fairway, take a penalty drop.  I had it last week also.  Drive off the tee on a par far, ball embedded into a bed of heather to the side of the bunker. properly plugged

Unless your on the fairway or green you dont get a free drop

At least if you go by the rules you will get used to playing by them in comps

If there's interference from "casual water" there's free relief on the whole course except in a water hazard, Rule 25-1, but if the ball is simply lying in mud there's not relief under Rule 25-1.

If the ball is embedded on a closely-mown area - teeing ground, closely-mown paths and fairway there's free relief. Rule 25-2

If a ball is embedded outside closely-mown areas there's no free relief and the ball must be played as it lies or it can be dropped with a penalty stroke under Rule 28. The Club may make a Local Rule giving free relief for an embedded ball "through the green" if course conditions are bad.

It was embedded in the fairway, but as it was clear from the scar in the turf that the ball never went up and was simply driven into the ground it was argued that it was not embedded in it's "pitch mark" as a pitch mark had to come from the ball dropping to the ground not being hammered into it.

The rule doesn't specify how the ball became embedded.

In order to get reliefr under Rule 25-2 the ball must be airborne before embedding.

25-2/6
Ball on Steep Bank Driven Straight into Ground

Q.A player's ball lies on a steep bank in the fairway. He plays a stroke and drives the ball straight into the bank, i.e., the ball is never airborne. Is the player entitled to relief without penalty under Rule?

A.No. Under Rule 25-2, relief is provided if a ball is embedded in its own pitch-mark. The word "pitch-mark" implies that the ball has become airborne.

Rules Doc wrote (see)

If a ball is embedded outside closely-mown areas there's no free relief and the ball must be played as it lies or it can be dropped with a penalty stroke under Rule 28. The Club may make a Local Rule giving free relief for an embedded ball "through the green" if course conditions are bad.

We use this local rule at this time of year although some members want pick n place in the rough

EagleC (23) wrote (see)

This lead to a ball embedded by about three quarters its height at the end of a 12 inch long scar.

The rules also do not state how big or small a pitch mark has to be to get relief.