Nelly Korda reveals the golf rule she would love to break if she could

Every golfer has one rule they wish they could change and for Nelly Korda, the answer will sound very familiar to anyone who has ever found the fairway, only to discover their ball sitting in a divot.

The World No.1 has revealed the rule that frustrates her most, and she even has a clever tip for dealing with it.

Because while Korda might not be able to change the rules, she knows a thing or two about making the best of a bad situation.

The Rules of Golf can be a headache. From confusing relief procedures to the occasional questionable drop, most amateurs have probably bent the rules at some point.

A breakfast ball here, a generous interpretation of an unplayable lie there. For many recreational golfers, it’s all part of the fun.

Professionals don’t have the same luxury. With titles, rankings and millions of pounds in prize money at stake, the rules must be followed, even when they seem unfair.

But if Korda could get away with breaking just one rule, she knows exactly which one would be first on her list.

Speaking on the Hey Jonas! podcast, the four-time major champion revealed her frustration with having to play a ball from a divot in the fairway.

It’s a familiar nightmare. You stripe your drive down the middle, line yourself up for an approach and then spot your ball sitting in a patch of damaged turf.

Suddenly, that seemingly perfect tee shot has left you with a much tougher challenge.

Under the current Rules of Golf, players generally receive no free relief from a divot in the fairway. Unless another applicable rule or local rule provides relief, the ball must be played as it lies.

And Korda isn't impressed.

Rather than simply venting her frustration, however, Korda offered some practical advice for golfers facing the same problem.

“There is an art to hitting out of a divot from a fairway,” she explained.

Her solution? 

Move the ball further back in your stance, grip down on the club and focus on striking the ball first.

Korda continued: “You put it more back in your stance, grip a little bit down on the club, because in a way it is like a bunker shot, so you are trying to hit the ball first. You are just a lot steeper. So there is an art.”

It's a useful tip, particularly for golfers who struggle to make clean contact when the ball sits below the surrounding turf.

Moving the ball back slightly can encourage contact before the club reaches the ground, while gripping down offers greater control. A steeper strike can also help prevent the club from catching too much turf behind the ball.

The trick is not to overdo it. Forget trying to manufacture a perfect shot and concentrate on clean contact instead. You might sacrifice a little distance, but keeping the ball on target is often the smarter play.

Watch Korda's comments below, and skip to 24 mins to watch. 

Korda's frustration is easy to understand. Why should a golfer be punished for hitting a good shot?

A ball landing in the fairway should generally leave a player in a favourable position. Yet a divot can make controlling contact, trajectory and distance considerably harder.

There are arguments on the other side, too. Allowing relief would raise questions about what counts as a divot, how damaged the turf must be and who gets to make that decision.

Those judgement calls could create disputes and slow down play, particularly on busy courses.

For now, golfers must usually accept the lie they find. That makes Korda's advice all the more valuable: rather than letting a bad bounce derail your round, learn how to play the shot.

On Tuesday, Korda was announced as a headline name for the Grant Thornton Invitational, where she was set to partner Michael Brennan in Naples, Florida.

Brennan is a three-time PGA Tour winner having won in his last start at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan. 

The mixed-team event is scheduled for 11-13 December, bringing together players from the LPGA Tour and PGA Tour.

There will be a total of 16 teams for the season-ending team event.