What is the one rule you wish could be changed

[davep043]

There's a difference between the Rules of Golf, which apply to every round of golf, whether competitive or not, and specific authorized conditions of competition used for specific events. I didn't get the impression that anyone who was proposing to eliminate alignment lines on golf balls intended to do it only for a small number of competitions.

[Mr. Bean]

'The challenge is making a change for the better.'

This.

Anyone can propose a Rule to be changed but the real challenge is to weld that change with the rest of the Rules, and what is even more important, with the Spirit of the Game.

Let us not forget that a large group of people spent seven (=7) years to modify the Rules of Golf to be better and among those people are the most knowledgeable persons on this planet afa golf is concerned. And as we have already seen even that combination of people and time has not been enough but adjustments and corrections are published three times a year, so the process seems to be everlasting. But unlike some proposals here there always seems to be profound reasoning behind the changes.

[Warrior42111]

@Mikey5e To me, the way it was originally written in your post " alignment marks' is way to grey, and I looooove the grey area. What would define alignment mark? A line, wording on the ball, even a dot could be used to align by some. IMO, if there is any marking or writing on a ball it can be used somehow for alignment. Also, how would the rules officials and players enforce this? I see how you wrote that a sharp mind can interpret it, but as with life there can be many interpretations of the word alignment mark. I can see the rule slowing down the game with people asking for rulings and if this or that is ok.
It's not that I think the idea is bad, but how to execute it, as well as properly enforce it without making the game for the worse where I am asking my questions from.

[bladehunter]

Guys. You’re dealing with someone who maybe dumb to a lot of things. But I’m smarter than to take the same bait I just saw someone else get hacked for taking .

 

ive tried to be quite friendly with most of you here. Maybe even all at one time or another. But the idea that challenging any rule is welcomed with open arms here is laughable. Really past that , to the point of being criminal to suggest it.

 

And ive read and watched certain things be defended , until they where changed slightly ( caddie lineup for instance ) then those changes praised too.

 

I am griping more about the attitude than any stupid line on a ball.

 

Make the game as easy as you want. The line will eventually be crossed to where nobody will love it anymore. Look at baseball for an example. Games been ruined since the designated hitter. Maybe before then.

[James the Hogan Fan]

I agree; I thought such a proposal would gain more traction as a potential condition of the competition than a rule. And wanted to point out it is not exactly true that the rules that govern particular competitions are always the same as rules covering all golf.

[bladehunter]

just scroll back to the first page of this thread. Read for 8 seconds. Tell me what you see.

 

ill see myself out ... and apologize for the rant. I’m in a bad mood and coming into this section caused it. So my problem I guess. Just thought you may like to know how others view this section. It looks to me like more of an in or out deal and less of a reference station.

[Sean2]

It's not like the alignment line automatically turns the golfer who uses it into a +HI. I take more exception to those green reading books. Compared to them, the alignment line is much a do about nothing.

[HitEmTrue]

Oh, because Sui lamented that the specific rule request was over a rule change (divots) that has been beaten to death on here?

You certainly did notice that a few posts later, Sui actually made a few rule change suggestions.

[Sawgrass]

Yes, he, and Antip if I remember correctly, made sound suggestions. To which absolutely no one objected. (Irrespective of Blades suspicion that all changes are unwelcome.)

[Sawgrass]

And what about the PGA Tour's rule requiring pants instead of shorts ... and one Committee allowing local rule X, and another only local rule y?

I am saying that the Rules should be followed by all serious golfer whether or not they are in a competition. I'm not saying that conditions of competition must be uniform.

I hope you aren't in agreement with his goal of blank balls for all competitions and lined ones the rest of the time.

[Sawgrass]

Here is a succinct description of my point of view: Blank balls would be a terrible idea. In and out of competitions.

Allowing someone to lie a stick on the ground to align himself prior to a shot would be a terrible idea. In and out of competitions.

[Mikey5e]

Huh?

[oikos1]

Maybe a bit over the top. Even though the numbers have been declining in recent years, MLB attendance was 68,494,752 last year. That's a lot of fans. And pretty sure there will be some who will always love golf. I love it more now than I ever have.

Now Bandy-Wicket, yeah, that one never quite caught on.

[James the Hogan Fan]

Positives of blank balls:

Removes potentially negligible alignment aid possiblity.

Negatives of blank balls:

Identification

Conformance checks/one ball rule

Ball maker marketing

People might use the dimple pattern for alignment anyway

Other stuff I haven't thought of.

 

So no I don't support it myself. I would be interested in seeing the one ball rule removed for a couple tour events to see what would happen though.

 

[Sawgrass]

Yep.

[sui generis]

In a nutshell what Sui would like to see is 1) more things treated alike on and off the course, and 2) fewer uses of the word "except" and fewer Exceptions and 3) fewer Rules, not more Rules.

[Mr. Bean]

There was a competition where top pro players could change the type of ball for every hole, just have no clue what comp it was. I just remember Phil Mickelson giving an interview on the subject. IMO one ball rule is insignificant and as such unnecessary. After all, top pros would still have to use the ball their sponsor tells them to.

[Deceptively Short]

The advice rule could be scrapped, often accidentally breached and probably unknowingly breached without consequence incredibly frequently. Also the subject of discussion on here that appears to have the most conflicting opinions by the ‘gurus’ who most often agree. Also in reality not much of an advantage; you can pay for far better advice legally by hiring your own caddie.

[Sawgrass]

How about a penalty for a player referring to himself/herself in the third person?

[antip]

I like the post James, very nice, brief and to the point pros and cons of marks on the ball. I, too, think this issue is a no brainer for anyone making a calm, rational assessment, even before considering the sheer impracticality of such a regulation. Of course, human nature what it is, people are not always calm and rational on all issues.

One ball local rule, though, in my view has a useful role in limiting bad behaviour by that subset of pros that will exploit any perceived advantage available. It also limits the incentive for the sporting company monoliths (those fine worthies that attempt to convince us we need give them $US500 for a new driver every year) to foist even more specialised balls on us.

[Mr. Bean]

Good point, antip. Then again, all new balls must be approved by the RBs which makes it quite challenging for the manufacturers to make a superball just for one or two top pros, I think.

[Mr. Bean]

Geez, I hate this new quote -thing!!! Is it really that hard to make it work properly?!??!?

[antip]

I had in mind specialist balls for things like chipping. There are still constraints on changing but the rules are now more liberal on that score.

[sui generis]

Jimmy doesn't think we need another Rule. (Apologies to the Finns who might not have watched all 172 episodes of Seinfeld . . . multiple times.)

[Sawgrass]

Jimmy is anarchist-adjacent.

[antip]

So I said to myself, "Self....." Problem fixed!

[Franchise01]

15 clubs in the bag

[Newby]

No. 13 clubs in the bag

[Mr. Bean]

I have 20 balls in the bag. And then I buy more at the turn.

[Roadking2003]

In the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup there is no one ball rule for foursomes but there is a one ball rule for fourball. Phil got confused.

 

I think the one ball rule is silly.