Can I kick the divot mark my ball made in the fairway?

No, you cannot kick or repair a divot mark in the fairway. Rule 13.1 explicitly allows repairing damage only on the putting green; doing the same in the fairway improves the conditions affecting your stroke and is not permitted.

Why the fairway is different from the green

Rule 13.1 is titled "Actions Allowed or Required on Putting Greens" and every permission it lists — removing sand and loose soil, repairing ball marks, spike marks, old hole plugs, and other damage — is limited to the putting green. The rule defines "damage on the putting green" and makes clear that the same actions anywhere else on the course are not covered. A divot in the fairway is simply not "damage on the putting green" as the rule uses the term.

What happens if you do it anyway

If you kick, tap down, or otherwise repair a fairway divot before your stroke, you are improving the conditions affecting the stroke — the lie, area of intended stance, swing, or line of play. That improvement is prohibited outside the specific permissions of Rule 13.1, so you would incur the general penalty (two strokes in stroke play, loss of hole in match play). The rule text you were given does not create any exception for fairway divots.

What you can do on the putting green

On the putting green you may repair ball marks, shoe damage, scrapes, old hole plugs, animal tracks, and embedded objects using your hand, foot, a repair tool, tee, club, or similar normal equipment — provided you do not unreasonably delay play. You may also remove sand and loose soil. None of these permissions extend to the fairway, the rough, or any other area of the course.

Exceptions that change the answer

• The divot mark is on the putting green → You may repair it under Rule 13.1c(2) using hand, foot, repair tool, tee, club, or similar equipment without penalty.
• The divot mark is on a wrong green → Rule 13.1f requires you to take free relief; you must not play the ball as it lies and you must not repair the damage before taking relief.

Frequently asked questions

Can I press down a divot with my foot in the fairway before I hit?

No. Pressing down a fairway divot improves the lie and is not allowed under Rule 13.1, which only permits repairs on the putting green. Doing so earns the general penalty.

What if the divot is on the fringe right next to the green?

The fringe is not the putting green. Rule 13.1 permissions do not apply there, so you may not repair the divot.

Can I replace the divot chunk if it's still there?

Replacing a divot chunk in the fairway is considered improving the conditions and is not permitted. On the putting green you may repair the damage, but not in the fairway.

Is there any penalty if I accidentally kick a fairway divot while walking?

If the kick was truly accidental and not done to improve the conditions, there is no penalty. However, if the action improves the lie, stance, or line of play, the general penalty applies regardless of intent.

Does Rule 13.1 allow me to fix spike marks in the fairway?

No. Spike marks are listed as "damage on the putting green" and may only be repaired on the putting green under Rule 13.1c(2).