That's self-contradictory! By your own words 'Fans of football, rugby etc are forever crying out for referees to use common sense' must mean (they feel) it's being ignored! Personally, I'm more inclined to think it's fans being biased, but....
But that's exactly what the Rules state!
Because 'that's Golf'! Often 'unfair'!
Firstly, I never said anything about stuffiness, that was someone else. I wouldn't call it stuffy to apply the straight line between posts as being out of bounds, more pedantic, or incongruous even.
The bit in bold is what I was saying, and for me that's good enough. For most people who play golf that would be good enough too, I'd wager. If common sense leads to 'unfairness' it is only against those who don't have any, so more fool them really.Yes obviously the committee should have done a better job of marking it out - but why should the player be punished as a result? That's unfairness.
Not always. I was chatting to our head greenkeeper who was complaining that lots of red and white posts disappear from the course. These weren't just moved to enable a shot and not replaced - they disappeared. He told me they have to replace 20+ per year and he has no idea where they go to.
I don't believe the posters in the 'Rules of Golf' forum here accurately represents a cross-section of all golfers on club courses. Do you? I know some on here would love to believe that the majority of golfers have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the rules and apply them unwaveringly, but in my experience this isn't the case. Vast majority that I've played with are like me - working knowledge of the rules, apply them as best as you can, with a bit of common sense, fairness and to the agreement of your playing group. We are not playing on the PGA Tour, so that level of application is good enough for us. I'm sorry if you (or others) disagree but that's the truth of it. In all of our weekly medals at our clubs there will 4 or 5 inadvertent rule-breaks across the field that are never known about because people simply played their best approximation of the rule at the time. The example in this topic - I honestly do not think I would be in the minority. Most people would think 'obviously they didn't mean it to be a straight line across here for OOB, they just didn't have another white post.'
Just like the bloody forks in our kitchen. And some of my socks.
From the official definition of "Out of Bounds"
I absolutely understand there will be rule breaks in a large group of golfers. However, I would hope this would be due to not fully understanding the rule, and therefore doing their absolute best to proceed in the way they think they should. So yes, if they are unclear on a rule then their judgement will have to be used, especially if they are unaware of what to do when their is any doubt.
Have you also checked the 'Posted Local Rules' in the club house locker room before you left - It said "As we are short of paint and white posts, the OOB is the heavy rough, not the rough cut to the same height just off the fairway"
I think that was tongue in cheek mate!
However, your quote stood out to me for the absence of the word "straight" before "line", so I looked up the rules and found this on the R and A website:
A-5
Stakes Identifying Out of Bounds
Purpose. When out of bounds is defined by a line on the ground, a trench or in another way that might not be visible from a distance, the Committee may place stakes along the boundary to allow players to see where the boundary edge is from a distance.
Boundary objects are not permitted to be moved and free relief is generally not given, but the Committee may provide for relief from these stakes through the following Model Local Rule, which should also clarify the status of these stakes.
It is recommended that such stakes be marked differently than other boundary stakes on the course, for example, white stakes with black tops may be used for this purpose.
Now, given the absence of the word "straight" and given the inclusion of the phrase "...any other way that might not be visible from a distance..." can somebody please explain/quote the actual wording of the rule that suggests that the long grass area is not the OOB line? (Assuming, of course, that all other white posts are in the same position as the one in the pic, i.e. defining the difference between those two areas of grass.)
Me showing up normally has that effect on rules threads. Sorry.
Whoops - that'll teach me for skim reading
That's not what I said, and I think you know that's not what I said. I said it's my firm belief that this ball is IN bounds and the fact the club did a shoddy job with the white posts doesn't change that. I never said that I think it's out of bounds but I'd play it anyway did I? That would be cheating.
