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What is the one rule you wish could be changed


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#1 For me I really wish they would allow a ball removal from a divot in your fairway/fringe only. How far? One iron/hybrid club head (not total club length, just the head 4 inches).

You hit a great shot and for the most part are now penalized because of the club ownership/management, GM or superintendent just doesn't care to improve their courses or the player ignores etiquette. It seems to obvious to allow.

 

 

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> @"sui generis" said:

> OH, DEAR . . . NOT AGAIN!

 

How about we approach this from a new direction seeing we have a cohort that are incapable of getting over this issue. Every golfer must play from a divot hole exactly once every third round. Player can choose when and must move to the nearest divot hole not nearer the hole if lady luck hasn't chosen one. Any additional divots are free relief. What could be fairer? (This is my last post using the 'd' word.)

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We had our club championship last weekend and the committee didn’t go out and make the bad areas. I figured a good local rule would be “always play off grass” except places of obvious relief, immovable obstructions, and bunkers and PA’s. I think it’d be a really easy rule to enforce and would save a ton of white paint.

 

If the “always play off grass” LR were in effect everyone in the field would get relief from divots, hardpan, washouts etc. etc. The LR could be applied fairly. None of this “is that a divot or isn’t it” stuff. It’d simply be, “is my ball lying on grass”?

 

The architect designed the challenge of the course with playing off of grass in mind. Not from divots, and worn down areas where carts drive. White paint everywhere is unsightly. And playing LCP in your own fairway gives too big an advantage to better players. In the odd happening of a ball ending up not on grass, pull it out and drop within a CL.

 

Seems fair to me.

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If we could only change complainers into non-complainers and improve their skill from a divot.

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> @Mcgeeno said:

> It always causes a stir here but I wish divots were considered GUR until healed.

>

I wish you read the previous thread of over one thousand posts on this issue and maybe having read all of the posts you could tell us what could not be solved within those 1 000 posts, such as when a divot is healed.

 

 

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> @"Mr. Bean" said:

> > @Mcgeeno said:

> > It always causes a stir here but I wish divots were considered GUR until healed.

> >

> I wish you read the previous thread of over one thousand posts on this issue and maybe having read all of the posts you could tell us what could not be solved within those 1 000 posts, such as when a divot is healed.

>

>

The question was asked which I would change. I replied. Its nothing more or less than that amigo haha. I'm not flipping through a previous 1000 post thread just replying to the OPs question.

 

 

 

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This thread comes up weekly but I'll join in. I do agree with the divot rule, but do understand that you run into a fine line about what would constitute as a divot you're allowed relief from. If there's a ball mark in your line, you get to repair that before playing your shot, which I guess I could make an argument about that being relief, but it is improving your situation. If somebody got pissed and tore up the fairway in anger with a club that would get marked as GUR (hopefully), but something made naturally through a golf shot isn't considered that is just odd. Golf is weird.

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2019 was a fine effort by the Rules Committees of the R&A and the USGA. Dozens of nit picky things went away! Their disappearance, in my opinion, has made play more fun without detracting from the game.

 

I'd like to see a couple of changes for the next revision (2021, perhaps):

 

1) Remove the penalty for a putt which accidentally strikes another ball at rest on the putting green, (R11} (The world has yet to come to an end just because a putt may now strike an unattended flagstick.)

 

2) Treat white OB stakes as movable obstructions the same as red and yellow penalty area stakes. (R15), and

3) Provide free relief from OB immovable things (such as fences and walls) in the same way that immovable obstructions on the course are treated. (R16)

 

With respect to 2) and 3), the RBs always trot out the same lame reasoning for lack of relief . . . "the things are not on the course". Well, what about that loose natural thing, such as a tree branch, lying OB or a loose artificial object, such as a bottle or can, lying OB . . . these things "not on the course" most certainly be may be moved in 2019 (and for decades prior)?

 

4) Free relief from immovable obstructions in a penalty area. (After all, free relief within the penalty area is available for a dangerous animal condition.)

 

Getting rid of a few more "excepts" might make it just that bit easier for the Average Joe to (inadvertently) play by the Rules.

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Knowledge of the Rules is part of the applied skill set which a player must use to play competitive golf.

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> @"sui generis" said:

> 2) Treat white OB stakes as movable obstructions the same as red and yellow penalty area stakes. (R15), and

> 3) Provide free relief from OB immovable things (such as fences and walls) in the same way that immovable obstructions on the course are treated. (R16)

>

> With respect to 2) and 3), the RBs always trot out the same lame reasoning for lack of relief . . . "the things are not on the course". Well, what about that loose natural thing, such as a tree branch, lying OB or a loose artificial object, such as a bottle or can, lying OB . . . these things "not on the course" most certainly be may be moved in 2019 (and for decades prior)?

>

 

The way I have understood this is that when an object is not on the course that object has no status. Thus you may move anything that is loose but you cannot get a free relief for something immovable as that has no status as an obstruction.

 

There may be courses where this could be an issue but even on those courses the situation can be easily avoided by moving the OB line so much inwards that there is no way any immovable object would come to play, so to speak.

 

Afa declaring OB stakes as movable obstruction may in some cases create situation where players face difficulties and need assistance from the referee, which of course is not available in 99% of the cases people are on the course. I am of course talking of those cases where the OB stake has been removed and then left lying around or put standing in a wrong place. I am not in favor of that change, and when I now try to recall I cannot remember one single time when I would have had interference by an OB stake in 27 years of playing golf. So I gather this is not a situation people face very often.

 

> @"sui generis" said:

> 4) Free relief from immovable obstructions in a penalty area. (After all, free relief within the penalty area is available for a dangerous animal condition.)

>

 

An immovable obstruction in a PA is a nuisance in an area where it is often very difficult to play from in any case while a dangerous animal condition is exactly what is says, i.e. dangerous. I cannot see how those things can be compared.

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> @Vespar said:

> #1 For me I really wish they would allow a ball removal from a divot in your fairway/fringe only. How far? One iron/hybrid club head (not total club length, just the head 4 inches).

> You hit a great shot and for the most part are now penalized because of the club ownership/management, GM or superintendent just doesn't care to improve their courses or the player ignores etiquette. It seems to obvious to allow.

>

>

 

Why are you blaming the maintenance guys and management? Each golfer is supposed to replace or fill divots. Maintenance can't do much about divots. Grass does not grow back in in 10 minutes. If the golfer would fill or replace, the grass would grow much faster, but not over night. Golfers have to care as much for the course as anyone else.

Leave it as you found it, or better!

BTW.... Play it from the divot.

That's my 2 cents.

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> @"Mr. Bean" said:

>

> The way I have understood this is that when an object is not on the course that object has no status. Thus you may move anything that is loose but you cannot get a free relief for something immovable as that has no status as an obstruction.

>

Mr B

This is old wiring that no longer applies. The definition has changed, an obstruction is an obstruction regardless of location. R16 empowers relief only when an ACC (which includes an immovable obstruction) is on the course (not OOB).

 

 

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> @Brass_Bullseye said:

> No OB anywhere on the golf course. Every white stake is converted to red.

 

How does that work if you are in a red penalty area, yet try to trespass to play out of the private property not owned by the course?

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> @Vindog said:

> > @Brass_Bullseye said:

> > No OB anywhere on the golf course. Every white stake is converted to red.

>

> How does that work if you are in a red penalty area, yet try to trespass to play out of the private property not owned by the course?

 

While I'm not especially in favor of white stakes being replaced with red ones, it's possible to designate No Play Zones in red stakes penalty areas. Thus, no play from the Kardashian's back yard.

Knowledge of the Rules is part of the applied skill set which a player must use to play competitive golf.

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> @"Mr. Bean" said:

> > @"sui generis" said:

> > 2) Treat white OB stakes as movable obstructions the same as red and yellow penalty area stakes. (R15), and

> > 3) Provide free relief from OB immovable things (such as fences and walls) in the same way that immovable obstructions on the course are treated. (R16)

> >

> > With respect to 2) and 3), the RBs always trot out the same lame reasoning for lack of relief . . . "the things are not on the course". Well, what about that loose natural thing, such as a tree branch, lying OB or a loose artificial object, such as a bottle or can, lying OB . . . these things "not on the course" most certainly be may be moved in 2019 (and for decades prior)?

> >

>

> The way I have understood this is that when an object is not on the course that object has no status. Thus you may move anything that is loose but you cannot get a free relief for something immovable as that has no status as an obstruction.

>

> There may be courses where this could be an issue but even on those courses the situation can be easily avoided by moving the OB line so much inwards that there is no way any immovable object would come to play, so to speak.

>

> Afa declaring OB stakes as movable obstruction may in some cases create situation where players face difficulties and need assistance from the referee, which of course is not available in 99% of the cases people are on the course. I am of course talking of those cases where the OB stake has been removed and then left lying around or put standing in a wrong place. I am not in favor of that change, and when I now try to recall I cannot remember one single time when I would have had interference by an OB stake in 27 years of playing golf. So I gather this is not a situation people face very often.

>

> > @"sui generis" said:

> > 4) Free relief from immovable obstructions in a penalty area. (After all, free relief within the penalty area is available for a dangerous animal condition.)

> >

>

> An immovable obstruction in a PA is a nuisance in an area where it is often very difficult to play from in any case while a dangerous animal condition is exactly what is says, i.e. dangerous. I cannot see how those things can be compared.

 

Bean, I'd like there to be many more instances wherein like things, such as marking stakes, are treated alike. Or immovable obstructions are treated alike such as anywhere on or off the golf course. In 2019 we suddenly were able to treat loose impediments the same everywhere on or off the golf course.

 

Whilst you and I and some others with a badge and a radio can handle the "exceptions", we know from experience that the average player cannot. So, let's get rid of some more of them.

Knowledge of the Rules is part of the applied skill set which a player must use to play competitive golf.

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> @"sui generis" said:

> 4) Free relief from immovable obstructions in a penalty area. (After all, free relief within the penalty area is available for a dangerous animal condition.)

>

 

> @"sui generis" said:

> > @Vindog said:

> > > @Brass_Bullseye said:

> > > No OB anywhere on the golf course. Every white stake is converted to red.

> >

> > How does that work if you are in a red penalty area, yet try to trespass to play out of the private property not owned by the course?

>

> While I'm not especially in favor of white stakes being replaced with red ones, it's possible to designate No Play Zones in red stakes penalty areas. Thus, no play from the Kardashian's back yard.

 

That is correct, although one just might enter the NPZ to look for one's ball anyway, which of course one might do even if there were white stakes. I wonder if something could be written under the Code of Conduct to penalize a player entering such an area.

 

In some cases I believe white stakes could be changed into red stakes just to speed up game but then there should be a balance between the penalty of losing a ball and hitting one OB, in this case red PA. Also there are places where OB line is there to discourage people from trying to cut the course and red PA would reduce this effect. All in all I am not in favor of making that change, people would start searching their balls anyway in those re PA's so all of them should be marked as NPZs. Too much hazzle and possible confusion, IMO. It is more clear when OB is an area where you cannot play your ball from and a PA is an area where you can.

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My one change would be no advice permitted by caddies. The player gets around the course on their own skill, not relying on the best bought caddie who may have intimate knowledge of the golf course, the player's swing or anything else. Level the playing field, sweep away the massive inequity that the rules protect. So no sources of advice permitted in individual competition, you are on your own from the 1st tee to the 18th green.

I would limit advice to between partners in a partner-based competition.

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> @antip said:

> My one change would be no advice permitted by caddies. The player gets around the course on their own skill, not relying on the best bought caddie who may have intimate knowledge of the golf course, the player's swing or anything else. Level the playing field, sweep away the massive inequity that the rules protect. So no sources of advice permitted in individual competition, you are on your own from the 1st tee to the 18th green.

> I would limit advice to between partners in a partner-based competition.

 

That would certainly speed up the game.

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I saw the thread title "what is the one rule you wish could be changed" and I thought, "surely, someone didn't start another 'relief from divot' thread."

 

I had to click on it just out of morbid curiosity.

 

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> @larrybud said:

> The new pin rule sucks.

> Played in a tourney this past week, 2 guys in, 2 guys out. One of the "in" guys wanted it for a freakin' 1 footer.

 

The previous flagstick procedure inconvenienced everyone. The 2019 flagstick procedure inconveniences very few.

Knowledge of the Rules is part of the applied skill set which a player must use to play competitive golf.

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Practice swing in a hazard. I get that they are meant to pose more of a challenge and you’re not supposed to be there, but the majority of us don’t play at PGA quality courses and the depth of sand varies. If I can take a practice swing in the rough to gauge how to play the shot, I should be able to take one in a bunker or in a staked area.

 

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