If you could change one rule. . .

[outlaw_gunner]

If I could be the benevolent dictator of the USGA for one day. . .

This thread may have been done before, but I wanted to get some fresh ideas.

I know that the rules of golf are sacred, and I'm treading on hollowed ground with this topic. However, there's one thing that I would change before anything else. This is the one thing that has led to more 80s and 81s on my scorecard than anything else.

Having to play out of somebody's fat divot.

I would allow players to lift and place their ball within one dollar bill length (putter heads veary too much) of the place it comes to rest in the fairway only no nearer the hole.

I know, it's part of the mistique of the game. Sometimes you catch great lies after terrible shots, and bad lies after great shots. However, twice a round I nail a drive down the center of the fairway, and one of those times I have to hit my ball out of the well somebody started to dig.

In reality, the players in front of us don't have caddies that scramble ahead to pick up the chunk of sod that flew twice as far as the ball and run back and stick it in the crater. Furthermore, cart players are accostumed to finally catching a pure shot on the third hole. They return to the cart with glee at the thought of filling his divot in front of his friends only to hold up the empty sand canister with the same feeling he had when he discovered that the 1st prize trophy was only made of plastic.

Golf is hard enough as it is I say. Let us at least get a chance to reap the benefits of our good shots.

What rule would you change?

[b81smith]

It would be legal to fix whatever on the green - in a given reasonable amount of time - spike marks on a 2-3 footer? cleat mark from a person who doesn't know how to walk in spikes? putter mark whatever, the rule that states you can't would be no more and instead would lie a rule in it's place saying fixing the problem is okay. ;)

[bogiesux]

It should be a "rule" that we are allowed to shoot the player who didn't replace a divot, repair a ball mark, etc. etc.

It's only common courtesy to do those things - if you aren't considerate, then you should be shot on site.

 

Bogiesux

[sevam1]

This thread may have been done before, but I wanted to get some fresh ideas.

 

I know that the rules of golf are sacred, and I'm treading on hollowed ground with this topic. However, there's one thing that I would change before anything else. This is the one thing that has led to more 80s and 81s on my scorecard than anything else.

 

Having to play out of somebody's fat divot.

 

I would allow players to lift and place their ball within one dollar bill length (putter heads veary too much) of the place it comes to rest in the fairway only no nearer the hole.

 

I know, it's part of the mistique of the game. Sometimes you catch great lies after terrible shots, and bad lies after great shots. However, twice a round I nail a drive down the center of the fairway, and one of those times I have to hit my ball out of the outhouse somebody started to build.

 

In reality, the players in front of us don't have caddies that scramble ahead to pick up the chunk of sod that flew twice as far as the ball and run back and stick it in the crater. Furthermore, cart players are accostumed to finally catching a pure shot on the third hole. They return to the cart with glee at the thought of filling his divot in front of his friends only to hold up the empty sand canister with the same feeling he had when he discovered that the 1st prize trophy was only made of plastic.

 

Golf is hard enough as it is I say. Let us at least get a chance to reap the benefits of our good shots.

 

What rule would you change?

 

Sorry I can't stop at one.

I would change three things. I would make it illegal to rake a bunker. I would reduce the number of clubs to 12 and I would ban cavities of any kind in any club.

 

Sevam1

[jaskanski]

Not many. The rules have got most scenarios covered. If there was one, it would be taking club length relief with a broomhandle putter - you can get up to 10ft+ sometimes!

Anthony Kim might have his views on which rule to change. Has anyone actually accidentally altered the playing characteristics of their club to their advantage?

[mat562]

Maximum size of clubheads reduced to 300cc.

 

Golf ball design to be amended such that a real 10% reduction in distance is seen in conforming models.

 

Introduce a rule to outlaw the making of a stroke whilst any part of the body other than the hands touches the club. i.e. ban belly/long putters.

 

Any or all of these rules could be introduced only in the case of 'highly skilled players' (or whatever the R&A/USGA calls top level amateur/professional golf) if it proved appropriate to do so.

 

Ditto on the spike marks - whether you're Tiger Woods or Maurice Flitcroft. It's a daft rule.

[avrag]

The rule I would change is the one, that allows a provisional ball only if the ball might be lost outside a water hazard. On the courses I play most of the time, there are lots of water hazards with all sorts of plants (bushes, small trees, reed grass) growing on the boundaries of the hazard. If a ball heads that way, you can never be sure, if it is lost inside the hazard or if you can find it just short of the hazard, or if it made it over to other side safely. Now, as it clearly was heading for the water hazard and then disappeared from sight, you are not allowed to play a provisional, because the only way the ball can be lost is inside the hazard. But nobody can tell, whether it actually went over all the trouble and landed safely, or was just a little bit too short. In this case, all you can do is walk up to the place the ball might have landed, look for the ball, and if you cannot find it, it is obviously in the hazard, and you must walk back.

In addition, 98% of people who play golf, don't even know the rule. It happens all the time in our monthly medals. Somebody going for the green on 18, which is usually a shot of about 170yds, 140 of which are over a water hazard, surrounded by trees and thick bushes (which are all within the boundaries of the hazard).

If nobody hears the distinctive "thuck" sound of the ball hitting the green, but a sound of rattled twigs and leaves instead, the player will surely say: "I'll hit a provisional", which leads to endless discussions and explanations, why he can't. Added: the only place, where he could legally drop, will usually be the place from which he played his original shot.

And I do not see any rational reason for that rule.

[jphilbeck]

I would ban this new groove rule before it is implemented. or have 15 clubs cuz i will need an extra wedge.

 

and a 5 gallon bucket instead of a 4in cup. that will speed up play and get all the minute details out of golf like spike marks and such out of golf so you can really see who is the best :)

[whartonry]

It was probably more of a local rule than USGA rule, but it would have to be the rule that DQ'd Michelle Wie last year. Something about her stepping out of a roped off area and therefore she "abandoned" her scorecard without signing it. They should amend this to allow a timeframe such as 30 minutes after the last putt is holed to sign the card.

[InTheHole]

It was probably more of a local rule than USGA rule, but it would have to be the rule that DQ'd Michelle Wie last year. Something about her stepping out of a roped off area and therefore she "abandoned" her scorecard without signing it. They should amend this to allow a timeframe such as 30 minutes after the last putt is holed to sign the card.

 

 

I would go one further on this... in a professional tournament, where computers, shotlink, spotters, the media, and 480 TV cameras are used, the golfers should not have to keep any type of official scorecard. This is total silliness and is sticking to tradition for tradition's sake.

 

In an age where I can go to a web site and track EVERY SHOT of the tournament, by every player, in near real time, it seems silly that a player has to sit and add up his score with a little pencil.

 

After walking 18 holes, it seems silly to "test" a player to see if he can add up 18 numbers correctly- we already know the score, we're simply seeing if the player can come up with the same number.

[arkstorm]

This thread may have been done before, but I wanted to get some fresh ideas.

 

I know that the rules of golf are sacred, and I'm treading on hollowed ground with this topic. However, there's one thing that I would change before anything else. This is the one thing that has led to more 80s and 81s on my scorecard than anything else.

 

Having to play out of somebody's fat divot.

 

I would allow players to lift and place their ball within one dollar bill length (putter heads veary too much) of the place it comes to rest in the fairway only no nearer the hole.

 

I know, it's part of the mistique of the game. Sometimes you catch great lies after terrible shots, and bad lies after great shots. However, twice a round I nail a drive down the center of the fairway, and one of those times I have to hit my ball out of the outhouse somebody started to build.

 

In reality, the players in front of us don't have caddies that scramble ahead to pick up the chunk of sod that flew twice as far as the ball and run back and stick it in the crater. Furthermore, cart players are accostumed to finally catching a pure shot on the third hole. They return to the cart with glee at the thought of filling his divot in front of his friends only to hold up the empty sand canister with the same feeling he had when he discovered that the 1st prize trophy was only made of plastic.

 

Golf is hard enough as it is I say. Let us at least get a chance to reap the benefits of our good shots.

 

What rule would you change?

 

Sorry I can't stop at one.

I would change three things. I would make it illegal to rake a bunker. I would reduce the number of clubs to 12 and I would ban cavities of any kind in any club.

 

Sevam1

[SadTrombone]

I'd make this the rule on spike marks:

If a player is wearing metal spikes, he or she may not fix or repair any spike marks until they have holed out.

If a player is wearing "soft spikes", he or she can fix any spike marks on the putting surface as long as they don't unduly delay play.

 

-mini

[outlaw_gunner]

What the . . . !?

 

I start a topic and get 12 replies over 4 months. Somebody else starts the same topic and gets 92 replies in 3 days!

 

To heck with this! I'm taking my ball and going to my home course . . .

 

that's a great idea!!! I think I'll go play!

[kyo-nax]

What the . . . !?

 

I start a topic and get 12 replies over 4 months. Somebody else starts the same topic and gets 92 replies in 3 days!

 

To heck with this! I'm taking my ball and going to my home course . . .

 

that's a great idea!!! I think I'll go play!

 

LOL...

Since I don't see the other topic, here's mine.

Mandated

White Tees: 10+ HC

Blue: 5-10

Gold: Under 5.

 

Free HC service to all and everyone must register to play.

[outlaw_gunner]

What the . . . !?

 

I start a topic and get 12 replies over 4 months. Somebody else starts the same topic and gets 92 replies in 3 days!

 

To heck with this! I'm taking my ball and going to my home course . . .

 

that's a great idea!!! I think I'll go play!

 

LOL...

Since I don't see the other topic, here's mine.

Mandated

White Tees: 10+ HC

Blue: 5-10

Gold: Under 5.

 

Free HC service to all and everyone must register to play.

 

Ooo! Not a fan of the tee mandate. I'm a 12 Hcp and length is not my problem. I avg 8-9 par or better holes a round. My problem lies in the whole whether or not I can go straight. In fact, all but one of my sub-80 rounds have come on 6500+ yd courses mainly because I play smarter b/c I can't reach the green early.

 

I understand the frustration with hackers biting off more than they can chew, but I feel this would actually make rounds slower because then everyday foursomes would be playing from 2-4 different tees each hole. (How's that for a run-on?) :black eye:

[kyo-nax]

What the . . . !?

 

I start a topic and get 12 replies over 4 months. Somebody else starts the same topic and gets 92 replies in 3 days!

 

To heck with this! I'm taking my ball and going to my home course . . .

 

that's a great idea!!! I think I'll go play!

 

LOL...

Since I don't see the other topic, here's mine.

Mandated

White Tees: 10+ HC

Blue: 5-10

Gold: Under 5.

 

Free HC service to all and everyone must register to play.

 

Ooo! Not a fan of the tee mandate. I'm a 12 Hcp and length is not my problem. I avg 8-9 par or better holes a round. My problem lies in the whole whether or not I can go straight. In fact, all but one of my sub-80 rounds have come on 6500+ yd courses mainly because I play smarter b/c I can't reach the green early.

 

I understand the frustration with hackers biting off more than they can chew, but I feel this would actually make rounds slower because then everyday foursomes would be playing from 2-4 different tees each hole. (How's that for a run-on?) :black eye:

 

OK. If they belong on the different range, then take an average.

 

BTW, I am 12 also. My short game sucks major........ and don't get me started on putting. high 30's every round.

Still, I should be playing from Whites.. At least that's what any of the scratch players that I play with say.

They say that I have more to learn of course management to be a single HC.

 

But I still play from Blue when I go out with the usual. I play from whites when I'm by myself.

 

 

Anyway, I thought you were going to go play? :D

I'll trade you a spot so I can go out and play.

[SadTrombone]

The golds at my course are right by the ladies ... I'm all in favor of being allowed to play from there.

 

-mini

[kyo-nax]

The golds at my course are right by the ladies ... I'm all in favor of being allowed to play from there.

 

-mini

 

You know what I meant....

Actually, common sense are not common these days so I will clarify..

 

Front = +10

Middle = 5-10

Champion= under 5

 

:black eye:

[cigarnut81]

I would disband the USGA & allow the R&A to make all the rules that govern golf. The USGA has no idea what they are doing!!!

[SadTrombone]

The golds at my course are right by the ladies ... I'm all in favor of being allowed to play from there.

 

-mini

 

You know what I meant....

Actually, common sense are not common these days so I will clarify..

 

Front = +10

Middle = 5-10

Champion= under 5

 

:black eye:

 

I liked it better the first time haha.

 

-mini

[blkfaceanh]

That slow 4 hour front 9 is illegal. In fact, a front nine that is longer then 2 1/2 hours should be illegal. DO YOUR DAMN JOB MR STARTER, NOT CRAM 100 GROUPS INTO A 10 MIN GAP YOU FREAKING JACK@SS!!

[kiwidave]

12 club maximum

I also think bunkers shouldn't be raked.

Also in M/Play, I don't see why if you've won the tee why you should have to tee off first. I'd rather go 2nd and see what my opponent does. He's chasing me so why I get to help decide what shot he'll play depending on what happens to my tee shot.

[teejaywhy]

The golds at my course are right by the ladies ... I'm all in favor of being allowed to play from there.

 

-mini

 

You know what I meant....

Actually, common sense are not common these days so I will clarify..

 

Front = +10

Middle = 5-10

Champion= under 5

 

:black eye:

 

 

Still makes no sense. Every course is different.

[indyslongest]

12 club maximum

I also think bunkers shouldn't be raked.

Also in M/Play, I don't see why if you've won the tee why you should have to tee off first. I'd rather go 2nd and see what my opponent does. He's chasing me so why I get to help decide what shot he'll play depending on what happens to my tee shot.

 

Yeah I agree, I can't tell you how many times I've said "boy am I glad I'm not going first" or "I wish I didn't have to tee off first." Especially on windy days and courses I'm not completely familiar with. It's nice to see what the other guy did.