What happens if???

[MooseKnuckle]

Question:

Due to soft greens, or the time of year (now), what happens if you hit your shot to the green with a high trejectory, and the ball ends up three quarters of the way burried?

I guess if you really wanted to, and you were playing with a real stickler, you would have to chip out of that hole you dug yourself, but it is likely, you will be removed from the course by your short and curlies if you get caught digging a hole in the green with your wedge.

Technically, what are the rules when it comes to a situation like this? I'm sure on tour, it's "play it as it lies", but for local courses not wanting people to hack holes out of the course, what are the official rules? Do you lose a stroke if you fish your ball out? Do the same rules apply if this happens on the fairway?

Thanks.

[Gary Hill]

A ball on the putting green may be lifted and, if desired, cleaned.

The player may repair damage to the putting green caused by the impact of a ball, whether or not the player's ball lies on the putting green.

Therefore, you may lift the ball, repair the damage to the putting green and replace your ball.

As for embedded in the fairway:

A ball embedded in its own pitch-mark in the ground in any "closely-mown area" "through the green" may be lifted, cleaned and dropped, without penalty, as near as possible to the spot where it lay but not nearer the hole.

"Closely-mown area" means any area of the course cut to fairway height or less.

"Through the green'' is the whole area of the course except:
a. The teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played; and
b. All hazards on the course.

BTW- There is only one set of Rules. Tour players play exactly the same rules as weekend duffers.