Outdated silly rules

[MadAdey]

I do see the reasoning behind people wanting the rules on divots to be changed. But how often do we actually have to play from a divot, now and again but not very often. If you are playing from a lot then someone needs to sort out your members and get the green keepers to look after the course better.

I had a medal card screwed up a while back due to a divot. Shouldn't really blame it, but I lost my head.

 

[clubchamp98]

I do see the reasoning behind people wanting the rules on divots to be changed. But how often do we actually have to play from a divot, now and again but not very often. If you are playing from a lot then someone needs to sort out your members and get the green keepers to look after the course better.

I had a medal card screwed up a while back due to a divot. Shouldn't really blame it, but I lost my head.

How often do you play in wind that moves the ball on the green NOT very often but they changed this rule ! Hope when I go out to play I don't need a rule book but I had plenty of time in A&E to think about this one

 

[stevie_r]

As far as I'm concerned it is firmly in the rub of the green category. Changing the rule would be ridiculous. We don't need 5 minute discussions on whether it's a divot or not. We all have the same chance of ending up in one and TBH it's not that hard to deal with. Be honest, how often does it happen, to the best of my recollection:

2011 - 1
2012 - 0
2013 - 1 (In 75 rounds)

 

[chrisd]

How often do you play in wind that moves the ball on the green NOT very often but they changed this rule ! Hope when I go out to play I don't need a rule book but I had plenty of time in A&E to think about this one

But, under the rules, you could have declared it unplayable and taken the penalty to improve your lie and negate the risk of injury.

 

[SocketRocket]

How often do you play in wind that moves the ball on the green NOT very often but they changed this rule ! Hope when I go out to play I don't need a rule book but I had plenty of time in A&E to think about this one

I am a bit confused how you incurred this injury. Please explain how hitting out a divot created this injury?

Regarding the spike marks: I have played on some greens where spike marks would not even be noticed, we don't all play on tour pristine putting surfaces. Take a look at the greens guys like Bobby Jones played on.

 

[clubchamp98]

I am a bit confused how you incurred this injury. Please explain how hitting out a divot created this injury?

Regarding the spike marks: I have played on some greens where spike marks would not even be noticed, we don't all play on tour pristine putting surfaces. Take a look at the greens guys like Bobby Jones played on.

I did explain this earlier in this thread . The divot was made by a player playing another hole who had strayed onto the hole I was playing , the divot was at 90 degrees to my line of play so I was hitting into the side of the divot not along it it snapped the head of my six iron . The reason I did not take a drop was I had a chance to win and went for it. Some may say foolish but that's golf you don't get many chances of a Major.

 

[woody69]

I did explain this earlier in this thread . The divot was made by a player playing another hole who had strayed onto the hole I was playing , the divot was at 90 degrees to my line of play so I was hitting into the side of the divot not along it it snapped the head of my six iron . The reason I did not take a drop was I had a chance to win and went for it. Some may say foolish but that's golf you don't get many chances of a Major.

The ground must have been rock solid and the divot particularly deep to snap your club head and cause injury!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

As far as I'm concerned it is firmly in the rub of the green category. Changing the rule would be ridiculous. We don't need 5 minute discussions on whether it's a divot or not. We all have the same chance of ending up in one and TBH it's not that hard to deal with. Be honest, how often does it happen, to the best of my recollection:

2011 - 1
2012 - 0
2013 - 1 (In 75 rounds)

With you on this - so rarely happens not worth fussing about and if it does just get on with it, Loads of other sotuations in golf where the bread falls butter side down. Part of what makes the game great and such a mental challenge - only if only my ball had stopped just a foot that way then...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The ground must have been rock solid and the divot particularly deep to snap your club head and cause injury!

Crazy divot - real toughie.

 

[Slab]

I know its slightly off topic & I can understand taking on the risk/reward shot from a lie in a right-angle divot over a penalty drop and respect your decision... but have to ask what other options were there between these two, maybe a wedge or 1/2 wedge to move it closer without a full swing with the chance of a shorter approach yielding a one putt or did you need to nail the 6I and get a one putt to turn your chance to win into reality?

Only trying to understand the risk you faced in a full swing with a mid iron from an unfavorable lie as I know its not a shot I could pull off even 1 out of 10 times so its interesting to hear from the lower handicap perspective

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I know its slightly off topic & I can understand taking on the risk/reward shot from a lie in a right-angle divot over a penalty drop and respect your decision... but have to ask what other options were there between these two, maybe a wedge or 1/2 wedge to move it closer without a full swing with the chance of a shorter approach yielding a one putt or did you need to nail the 6I and get a one putt to turn your chance to win into reality?

Only trying to understand the risk you faced in a full swing with a mid iron from an unfavorable lie as I know its not a shot I could pull off even 1 out of 10 times so its interesting to hear from the lower handicap perspective

Same sort of risk assessment you make as when you are pretty close to a tree and know that a fullish shot will get you on or about the green - but with a fullish shot you might clatter the tree with your club and snap the shaft. You decide - risk reward. Nobody forces us to play any shot - we as players decide. As you say - just one aspect of course management. I wouldn't risk my club unless something significant was within reach - as was the case for OP. Then I possibly would.

 

[MadAdey]

I do have some sympathy with the OP. He chose to play a shot that with hindsight he should not have played and is paying the price for it with an injury and a broken 6i. Like people have said it does not happen very often so why not change the rules. It is not very often I end up in damage caused by a burrowing animal, but I still get relief on the few occasions I do.

Problem is I am sure we can all come up with a rule we find stupid and want changing, so where does it stop? Relief from divots? flattening down damage on a green? Free drops outside a bunker for casual water? I am sure there are others that we have discussed to length on here too.

 

[Leftie]

Just a tad confused.

Golf clubs are designed to cut through the soil without much, if any, damage to the player. On the very rare occasion that I'm playing out of a divot I just aim to take a bigger one. What difference does the angle of the divot make? Sweet Fanny Adams I suggest.

Sounds like the 6 iron was defective in some way, or very deeply struck, and it broke which might have caused some pain in the wrists.

Just wonder if "injuries are us lawyers" are following this thread ????

:mmm:

 

[Leftie]

Yeh! I know.

But all you lot pussy footing around.

Someone had to say it.

 

[Foxholer]

Just a tad confused.

Golf clubs are designed to cut through the soil without much, if any, damage to the player. On the very rare occasion that I'm playing out of a divot I just aim to take a bigger one. What difference does the angle of the divot make? Sweet Fanny Adams I suggest.

Sounds like the 6 iron was defective in some way, or very deeply struck, and it broke which might have caused some pain in the wrists.

Just wonder if "injuries are us lawyers" are following this thread ????

:mmm:

If the divot was deep enough, then, because it was not in the normal direction (rotated 90"), rather than 'sliding through turf' or going with the slope of the previous divot, the club 'slams into a wall'! Which is not good for either club or body.

 

[chrisd]

I once played in a match against a guy who slammed his clubs into the ground harder than anyone I've ever played with. He was about a 5 handicap and it gave him a long penetrating ball flight but I couldn't believe how hard he hit the ground. On the 9th hole he did it and his club shattered, it didn't stop him, but I wonder if the OP just did similar to shift it and got the result from using excessive down force