PGA Tour pro gives blunt verdict on polarising golf rule

PGA Tour golfer Michael Kim does not believe golfers should be given free relief when their ball comes to rest in a divot in the fairway.

The issue has long been one of golf's most debated rules, with players and fans divided over whether a golfer who hits the fairway should be penalised when their ball finishes in damage caused by another player's shot.

Under the current Rules of Golf, a ball in a fairway divot must be played as it lies.

Divots are not classified as ground under repair, meaning players are not entitled to free relief. 

There is also no Rule of Golf or PGA Tour Local Rule that allows free relief from a divot hole in the fairway.

Kim told his followers in a recent Q&A on X that he thinks the rule should remain.

"I don't think you deserve a perfect lie just because you hit the fairway," Kim wrote.

"It rarely happens and it becomes tough to determine where a divot starts and ends."

The debate centres on the fundamental principle of golf that players should play the ball as it lies.

Opponents of the existing rule argue that a player should not be punished for hitting an accurate tee shot into a damaged patch of fairway.

The difficulty for rules officials is determining where a divot begins and ends, particularly when the turf has started to recover.

That uncertainty has been one of the longstanding arguments against introducing a blanket rule.

The subject has nevertheless continued to divide professional golfers.

Jon Rahm has previously been among those to question the logic of the existing rule.

Last year, the Spaniard said he went "back and forth" over how he feels and expressed the same sentiments as Kim.

Rahm added, though, that he believes players should get free relief from pitch marks.

England's Paul Casey suffered a brutal break during the 2022 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Casey was in contention during the final round of the unofficial fifth men's major. 

The Englishman rifled his drive down the middle of the 16th fairway but couldn't believe his luck when he found his ball had ended up in another player's pitch mark.

He was only two strokes adrift of Smith and, as he was only 209 yards from the pin, would have boosted his chances of victory with an eagle.

But his drive didn't 'plug' when it landed and therefore he was unable to take relief under the embedded ball rule.

His only option was to knock one down the fairway.

The rules around pitch marks have since evolved. 

Under the 2026 Rules of Golf, a ball embedded in its own pitch mark can receive relief under Rule 16.3, while a Committee may also adopt a Local Rule allowing relief from another player's unrepaired pitch mark in areas cut to fairway height or less.

Kim also told his followers that "not much" can be done to prevent slow play on the PGA Tour and in the majors.

"It's way more of a traffic problem or like a toll gate," he said.

"It's not really about slow play. It’s about the number of groups on a golf course at a given time. Not much you can do honestly."