7 replies to this topic

[Buck]

An interesting article from March 1st about Golf rule changes to attempt to broaden the appeal and hopefully reverse the long downward trend in popularity as the core demographic continues to age out of existence.

What's everyone think of the changes?
B


Washington Post Link Below:

https://www.washingt...tand-and-apply/


Lots of good quotes in there also. Here is just a sample..

Rory McIlroy:

“I think golf’s emphasis on the rules can sometimes turn people away from it"
“To modernize and make it simple is a good thing"
“Making them more modern to move with the times is good.”

Adam Scott:

“It all just seemed to get away from the simple game that it once started out to be"
“Lots of things have changed over time, and I just don’t think we moved the rules quickly enough as the game changed..."
"There’s competition golf and then there’s social golf, and I think some common sense should be applied to both.”

Tiger Woods:
"Lots of thought & hard work by @USGA and @RandA to modernize our rules. Great work to benefit the game"

Tom Watson:
"I applaud the @USGA & @RandA for the common sense changes to make the #RulesofGolf more fair & logical, as well as much easier to understand"

[Crow357]

I'm glad they did something after the rules fiasco at the US Open.

[Armand]

I can't recall all the changes, but I really don't think reducing the search time for a lost ball will have any impact on the time to play a round.  It might for the group/person looking for the ball, especially if they are prone to hitting a few in the weeds.  If they really want to speed up the game, ban the practice of marking the ball with a line and aligning it to the putt (I'd almost go as far as say to ban marking/cleaning the ball on the green!).  Way too much time is wasted realigning that stupid line on the ball - in my opinion, of course!  Most of the other changes seem reasonable, but I question some:

• Why dropping from just above the ground is easier/better than from shoulder height (except on a steep slope, but a short drop still see the ball roll down the hill)?
• Dropping from a bunker .... I suppose, but it might take longer to determine where to drop rather than just hit it (or throw it) out!  Maybe let's stop raking bunkers to speed things up ....
• Repairing spike marks on a green will take an inordinate amount of time (not to mention aligning the silly line on the ball as noted above!).

 

I think there is already an unwritten set of rules for weekend duffers/high handicappers.  It's only "serious amateur" and professional golfers that have their play examined/scrutinized under the rules of golf.  Few of the proposed changes are really going to affect them (for example, I think most weekend players who can't get out of the bunkers already take a penalty - or not - and drop/throw it out of the bunkers).

[Crow357]

For me, I look at the official rules as applying to professional golfers.  As for me, when I was a weekend duffer, if I discovered my ball had trickled OB, I didn't walk back to the tee which by that time was already occupied by the next group.

[ProFirefighter]

-deleted-

[Dazmaniac]

It's only "serious amateur" and professional golfers that have their play examined/scrutinized under the rules of golf.

 

Just using Armand's quote above. I don't consider myself a 'serious amateur' but I play in the club tournaments through the season but still abide by the rules.

 

I appreciate the 'duffer' not taking all the drops correctly, but they at least should appreciate what the correct course of action is and not just be ignorant of the rules.

 

I find in a golf society I play in from work, many of the members don't play actual club golf and have a very limited grasp of the rules. When you see how some of them go about extracting themselves from unplayable lies, staked trees, water hazards, out of bounds, ground under repair etc. it really is laughable. I appreciate it is only a golf society, but if we're playing golf we are playing by the rules. So much so I have sort of become the go-to guy for rulings. I'm not having society players casually drop one after hitting out of bounds because this is what they do on a Saturday with their chums.

 

I'm glad some of the rules are being tweaked and simplified, but still feel after these recent proposed changes, they will still be abused a as the current rules are now.

 

There will be players using the new proposed drop rule from just a few inches above the ground who will end up actually placing the ball, especially where their playing partners are not in attendance as they are stood 50-60 yards away.It's just the way some folks are.

[Buck]

One key takeaway is just that it's good to see golf starting to be ok with some changes.

 

Many more changes are needed to take a sport like this into the mainstream for the current younger generations, but it's at least refreshing to see them acknowledging that just "doing the same thing forever" will absolutely lead to the death of the sport.

 

It's sort of like baseball in that regard.  Times change, interests changes and the competitive marketplace for attention and dollars changes and sports have to keep up or they simply become irrelevant and die off.

[Armand]

I only play recreationally and I, too, have become the "rulings guy" with my colleagues and friends.  In a way that is good, but I think some of them don't want me to correct their scoring or advise on their rulings - some may not even want to play with me anymore!  I used to mention to them the correct ruling/scoring/etc. and then allow them to score whatever they choose, but I think they got tired of that.  Now, I just play and let them play however they want, breaking whatever rules they want.  I don't really care too much; we never have anything on the line, except perhaps who buys the first round!  I do take enjoyment when some players ask me about a situation, though.  Then I'll explain what the ruling is (to the best of my understanding) and allow them to play/score however they wish.

 

I play my game within the rules, to the best of my understanding.  But I sometimes "cheat" a bit for pace of play or even convenience sometimes - if I find my tee shot just out of bounds, I won't go back to the tee, but I'll move it in bounds and play the next shot as my 4th.  I "pretend" I went back to the tee and hit my 3rd shot with a slightly different result.  

 

Overall, I don't see how the proposed changes really make that much difference to the pace of play or clarity of the rules.  As I mentioned, weekend duffers aren't going to care any more after such changes are made compared to now.  The "serious" golfers probably aren't impacted too much by the proposed changes, except "accidentally moving the ball on the green".  It will be interesting for me to read the new rules when implemented, but I think there will be just as many decisions for the proposed rules as the current ones.