CarpeDiem
Challenge Tour Pro
I was just wondering what you guys thought were the most important, useless and down right stupid rules in golf? 
Rules
- Thread starter CarpeDiem
- Start date
Herbie
Tour Winner
Oh there are so many.lol.Actually its more the add-ons to basic rules and the confusing detail thats the problem not the basic rules themselves. They will continue to change or be amended till the end of time. What the real problem is, is that of golfers not knowing enough of the very basic rules let alone in detail. I will have a look through the good book and single one or two out unless someone beats me to it. Good question though.
toyboy54
Challenge Tour Pro
Playing the ball out of some twats divot really does my single cell brain in!!
WHY?---should we not get a drop or a place?
GRRRR!
WHY?---should we not get a drop or a place?
GRRRR!
SS2
Tour Rookie
Agreed, I always thought that this rule was a bit unfair.
Leftie
Tour Winner
Slight hijack maybe but the club has now issued a local rule that any ball coming to rest in a sand filled divot must be placed to one side, not nearer the hole.
Welcome to the 21st century.
Welcome to the 21st century.
Herbie
Tour Winner
Thats a good club rule but like others I tend to agree that landing in someones divot hole is an unfair place to have to play from. Its not something that affects every golfer in any comp and is something created by other players, usually during the same round, that alone makes it unfair. Placing the ball within 6" but no nearer gives no advantage to a player.The fact that all courses have a 'Replace divot' rule means there is a president set which suggests the missing divot is a problem for the course and other players, so why do we have to play from the hole when one is neglected?
viscount17
Money List Winner
getting relief may mean less reason for divots to be replaced and less incentive to do so - not that I like playing from divots either.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
The usual stupid one is the penalty drop out of the flooded bunker. It wasn't your fault the course is so badly designed the bunkers fill up when it rains, but you get the penalty.
hackamore
Medal Winner
Hate the rule about balls plugged in the rough, always thought being in the rough was punishment enough so a free drop would be preferable.
Leftie
Tour Winner
Sorry Murph but we might have to agree to disagree on this one.
In my (limited) understanding of the Rules, a hazard is a hazard is a hazard. Whether sand, water, lateral, whatever.
If you are in any hazard other than a bunker you have the option of playing the ball as it lies or dropping behind the hazard in accordance with the rules under penalty of one shot.
In a bunker, the rules are a bit more generous. If the ball is in water (or you would be standing in water) you are allowed to drop it again in accordance etc... if you can. Only if you can't drop in the bunker in a position where full relief can be taken can you drop outside the bunker under penalty.
Why do you want free relief to drop outside a sand hazard because there is water in it when you can't get free relief from any other hazard??
In my (limited) understanding of the Rules, a hazard is a hazard is a hazard. Whether sand, water, lateral, whatever.
If you are in any hazard other than a bunker you have the option of playing the ball as it lies or dropping behind the hazard in accordance with the rules under penalty of one shot.
In a bunker, the rules are a bit more generous. If the ball is in water (or you would be standing in water) you are allowed to drop it again in accordance etc... if you can. Only if you can't drop in the bunker in a position where full relief can be taken can you drop outside the bunker under penalty.
Why do you want free relief to drop outside a sand hazard because there is water in it when you can't get free relief from any other hazard??
CarpeDiem
Challenge Tour Pro
What happens if your ball is plugged at the back lip of the bunker, and you have no option but to take a drop. Do you have to drop it outside the bunker or in the bunker both drops are under the penalty of one stroke. However you can't drop outside the bunker as I am under the assumption that once in the bunker you can't take relief to get out of it, as it is there to punish you.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Have to agree particularly with plugged lies in the rough. OK granted you shouldn't be there but to end up looking down on only half a ball does seem an extreme penalty when you can drive into a flooded fairway bunker lift and drop onto a dry patch
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Lifting a plugged ball in the rough is available as a local rule if required, so it is up to your club to implement this, not the RandA.
backwoodsman
Tour Winner
But you're not comparing like with like. If the ball was plugged in the rough in a puddle you could pick, & drop. Conversely, if the ball was plugged in a bunker - not in casual water - then tough, you play it as it lies.
viscount17
Money List Winner
strip the rules back to their original intention without all the what if's.
all hazards should be treated equally
winter rules at club discretion only to protect the course but then a match played under these rules - which do not give parity - should not count for handicap. (and I'm not so sure about competition where it is applied after the comp has started (some of the more recent PGA and Asian events) but I suspect I'll be alone in this)
all hazards should be treated equally
winter rules at club discretion only to protect the course but then a match played under these rules - which do not give parity - should not count for handicap. (and I'm not so sure about competition where it is applied after the comp has started (some of the more recent PGA and Asian events) but I suspect I'll be alone in this)
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Agreed Viscount.
Too many complex descisions and too many variables. Why? Sometimes its one club length, sometimes its 2. Why does it matter if, when you drop, the ball rolls further than it should? As long as its no nearer the hole and the ball is actually dropped not thrown then get on with it.
If you're allowed distance devices, why not wind and slope too? Surely we all pick a club based on distance - yes we take slope and wind into consideration but to allow something that will give you one measurement to the nearest yard but not the others seems daft. To have to use skill to overcome 2 factors while being given another does not compute.
Too many complex descisions and too many variables. Why? Sometimes its one club length, sometimes its 2. Why does it matter if, when you drop, the ball rolls further than it should? As long as its no nearer the hole and the ball is actually dropped not thrown then get on with it.
If you're allowed distance devices, why not wind and slope too? Surely we all pick a club based on distance - yes we take slope and wind into consideration but to allow something that will give you one measurement to the nearest yard but not the others seems daft. To have to use skill to overcome 2 factors while being given another does not compute.
