About Time!

[ATL96Steeler]

USGA, R&A propose sweeping changes to golf rules in effort to simplify game

For us weekend hacks, or even good players that try to keep a legit score, these changes are long over due!

The one sort of take away change I really like is no longer allowing caddies to line up players...they would now be required to move out of the line as soon as the player takes a stance...even that is generous imo.

It sucks to see these lady tour players being lined up by their time and time again...that's one of the most basic of fundementals...you should be forced to do that on your own.

 

[DUB]

I saw this the other day and like you agree with everything being needed to be done for the 2019 rule book. I personally like the changes. They make sense, increase speed of play, grow the game.

It's time to clean up the rules with the knowledge and stats the past as provided. (The young pga golfers are making their mark in the stats, records, and now rule book.)

Also if others like the rule changes please go let your voice be heard at the following places:

You can actually send your feedback each of these ways:
RandA.org they let you vote on changes.
USGA.org they let you vote on changes.
#GolfRules2019 for Twitter to let people know.


-DUB-

 

[NEhomer]

Um, I'm have a big problem with many of these changes.

If you have a good reason for lifting a ball, such as to identify it, check for damage or determine if it lies in a condition where relief is permitted (such as checking to see if it’s embedded), you don’t have to announce your intention to another player or the marker. You also don’t have to give that person an opportunity to observe the process.

Currently: Before lifting, you must announce your intention to another player or the marker and allow them to observe the process.

Huh? One of the biggest ways to cheat is to lift your ball in the rough "to see if it's yours" and then place it down. It never gets placed quite so far down into the grass when it's "put back." Bullshit, if you have to lift your ball when it's not on the green, your opponent should have the option to review what you're doing to ensure that you're not improving your lie.

You can move loose impediments in penalty areas, touch the ground with your hand or club, or ground your club without penalty.

Currently: If you did any of the preceding, it’s a loss of hole (match play) or a two-shot penalty (stroke play).

Now, you can ground your club in a hazard? Gee, I can't see the problem with pushing the grass down behind your ball and improving your lie. WTF?

Your ball is lost if not found within three minutes of searching.
Currently: Your ball is lost if not found within five minutes of searching.

This is another major one for me. If it's the 18th hole and I'm a few over par, I don't believe that 5 minutes is an unreasonable period of time to look for a ball. That's one thing the pros never have to deal with having fore caddies stationed on every hole. Finding a ball can be a VERY important thing.

The only requirements when taking a drop are to hold the ball above the ground without it touching any object, and it must fall through the air before coming to rest. Height is not a requirement.

Currently: You must stand and hold a ball at shoulder height, with your arm extended, before dropping.

This one is interesting so we'll have to see how it goes. You can drop it just one inch above the ground? Hmmmm, much easier to get a good lie off of a drop.

 

[DUB]

@NEhomer Nice thoughts. But I'm sticking with the changes. All for the better when playing with people that respect the rules. If someone is looking to get a fast one when playing no matter the rules they will look for a fast one. I think once the rules go in place you'll come back and say I LOVE THEM ALL... hahaha.

-DUB-

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Um, I'm have a big problem with many of these changes.

If you have a good reason for lifting a ball, such as to identify it, check for damage or determine if it lies in a condition where relief is permitted (such as checking to see if it’s embedded), you don’t have to announce your intention to another player or the marker. You also don’t have to give that person an opportunity to observe the process.

Currently: Before lifting, you must announce your intention to another player or the marker and allow them to observe the process.

Huh? One of the biggest ways to cheat is to lift your ball in the rough "to see if it's yours" and then place it down. It never gets placed quite so far down into the grass when it's "put back." Bullshit, if you have to lift your ball when it's not on the green, your opponent should have the option to review what you're doing to ensure that you're not improving your lie.

You can move loose impediments in penalty areas, touch the ground with your hand or club, or ground your club without penalty.

Currently: If you did any of the preceding, it’s a loss of hole (match play) or a two-shot penalty (stroke play).

Now, you can ground your club in a hazard? Gee, I can't see the problem with pushing the grass down behind your ball and improving your lie. WTF?

Your ball is lost if not found within three minutes of searching.
Currently: Your ball is lost if not found within five minutes of searching.

This is another major one for me. If it's the 18th hole and I'm a few over par, I don't believe that 5 minutes is an unreasonable period of time to look for a ball. That's one thing the pros never have to deal with having fore caddies stationed on every hole. Finding a ball can be a VERY important thing.

The only requirements when taking a drop are to hold the ball above the ground without it touching any object, and it must fall through the air before coming to rest. Height is not a requirement.

Currently: You must stand and hold a ball at shoulder height, with your arm extended, before dropping.

This one is interesting so we'll have to see how it goes. You can drop it just one inch above the ground? Hmmmm, much easier to get a good lie off of a drop.

You make good points.

In a casual round or even in a tournament or in your case, a league play...admittedly some of these new rules will make it easier to cheat. Golf is and always will/should be played within the spirit of honor and fairness. That said, a player that's hell bent on cheating is still going to cheat.

The one that I understand, but really on the fence with...5 mins vs 3 mins. I do agree that for us, that 120 seconds can mean a great deal especially in your example, but at the same time the issue is overall pace of play...for an average weekend foursome of bogey golfers, that could mean 15 mins (a complete hole) or more.

 

[NEhomer]

You may state that someone who's going to cheat is going to cheat. Rolls right off the tongue actually but upon inspection, it's bunk. If I look over and see someone fluffing their ball in the rough, they have automatically cheated because they did not inform me. If I see them grounding a club in a hazard, they're cheating. How does grounding your club in a hazard speed up play?

I'd be prone to stating that it's slow player who's going to play slow no matter what.

Some of these rules are not to speed play but rather, to make the game the game easier.

I don't want it to be easier.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

You may state that someone who's going to cheat is going to cheat. Rolls right off the tongue actually but upon inspection, it's bunk. If I look over and see someone fluffing their ball in the rough, they have automatically cheated because they did not inform me. If I see them grounding a club in a hazard, they're cheating. How does grounding your club in a hazard speed up play?

I'd be prone to stating that it's slow player who's going to play slow no matter what.

Some of these rules are not to speed play but rather, to make the game the game easier.

I don't want it to be easier.

I still say, cheaters are going to cheat...it's who they are.

I tend to agree some are to make it easier...get more participation I suppose.

The reality...if you're in a hazard grounding the club may make it easier for a highly skilled player, but the avg golfer? Probably not.

Much like the current rulebook, these changes are pretty much for a select few anyway. IDT these changes are going to make the avg. weekend golfer to change the way they play or score.

 

[NEhomer]

I simply couldn't disagree with you guys more.

A skilled player can play out of any lie. The hacker, not so much.

This shit all sucks and I hope it gets rescinded.

Making the great game of golf easier so people don't have to actually show a little fortitude, intelligence and perseverance to learn the game properly.

Bullshit.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I simply couldn't disagree with you guys more.

A skilled player can play out of any lie. The hacker, not so much.

This shit all sucks and I hope it gets rescinded.

Making the great game of golf easier so people don't have to actually show a little fortitude, intelligence and perseverance to learn the game properly.

Bullshit.

Nothing is in stone yet...You should make your feelings known to the USGA.

 

[NEhomer]

Maybe they should allow an unplayable drop out of a hazard.

 

[poprocksncoke]

Players can leave the flagstick in the hole while putting

WTF??????????

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I still think fairway divots should be considered GUR, free drop.

OB...most people don't play this correctly anyway, but for those of us that do. imo it should be 1 stroke and take your distance. Last week I had to make the dreaded return to the tee...as I'm hitting (again) the group behind comes...they said you guys must be playing for a lot of money!

 

[NEhomer]

I still think fairway divots should be considered GUR, free drop.

OB...most people don't play this correctly anyway, but for those of us that do. imo it should be 1 stroke and take your distance. Last week I had to make the dreaded return to the tee...as I'm hitting (again) the group behind comes...they said you guys must be playing for a lot of money!

It's a rare case when you don't have enough evidence to suspect that it's OB and then find out after searching for it that it is OB. Most often, there's reason to hit a provisional. I could discuss the fairway divot relief at least but OB must always be stoke and distance imo.

...and fuck those guys. Your score matters.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

It's a rare case when you don't have enough evidence to suspect that it's OB and then find out after searching for it that it is OB. Most often, there's reason to hit a provisional. I could discuss the fairway divot relief at least but OB must always be stoke and distance imo.

...and fuck those guys. Your score matters.

At my home course, we know every nook and cranny almost...so yeah we hit a provisional when we see a ball heading towards areas we know to be OB. In that case last week, it was a par 3 and a mound blocking your view on the right. 90% of the time balls hit the mound and kick left back towards the green...in fact some balls end up on the fringe...I was that 10% of the time...none of us could figure how it kicked right apparently hit the cart path or something hard and kicked further right...OB.

Yeah, I hear ya...there is a course we play some time...#9 runs parallel with #1. #9 is a dog leg left...you used to be able to play it down the left and you might be in the FW for #1 or worst case left rough for #1 and it cut off some of the hole. They recently remarked the left side of #9 OB...they did it to keep you out of the line of fire from #1 tee, but you're still on the golf course...silly imo.

My score does matter, so we play it right....you never know when you're going to shoot a milestone round and you don't want that yea but...

 

[NEhomer]

An attention whore thread, for a childish pussy beta bitch, that fell apart when he did.

At my home course, we know every nook and cranny almost...so yeah we hit a provisional when we see a ball heading towards areas we know to be OB. In that case last week, it was a par 3 and a mound blocking your view on the right. 90% of the time balls hit the mound and kick left back towards the green...in fact some balls end up on the fringe...I was that 10% of the time...none of us could figure how it kicked right apparently hit the cart path or something hard and kicked further right...OB.

Yeah, I hear ya...there is a course we play some time...#9 runs parallel with #1. #9 is a dog leg left...you used to be able to play it down the left and you might be in the FW for #1 or worst case left rough for #1 and it cut off some of the hole. They recently remarked the left side of #9 OB...they did it to keep you out of the line of fire from #1 tee, but you're still on the golf course...silly imo.

My score does matter, so we play it right....you never know when you're going to shoot a milestone round and you don't want that yea but...

they did it to keep you out of the line of fire from #1 tee, but you're still on the golf course...silly imo.

Beyond silly and actually against the rules in some cases. I respect OB but if I'm still on the course....well, fuck you, that's what!

 

[beardown07]

Repairing spike marks en sech on the green is ok. The rest are garbage, at least what's mentioned in that link is.

I do think divots in the fairway should be a drop. You shouldn't be penalized because of some asshole's lack of etiquette.

 

[DUB]

I love the drop from one inch rule... Finally can drop in a spot I want.... drop it like it's hot style baby!!!!!

-DUB-

 

[packerzrule]

I'm with @NEhomer on this one.

Leave em the hell alone!!