Some golf rules are just daft - discuss

[JohnnyDee]

We've all done it. Nailed our Sunday best with the big stick knowing that it's now only going to be a simple 9-iron to the green.

We leave the tee chattering happily to our PPs about the upcoming new season of Game of Thrones as we approach our ball happy in the knowledge that we're a shoe-in for a par, but with a real opportunity for a birdie.

Then we spot it. Our ball is slap-bang in the middle of the deepest old divot and suddenly our sunny disposition evaporates. Two weeks earlier with "Winter rules" in force we could've picked and placed and set the ball up on a nice piece of lush turf. But now...now... Now we have to play the flaming thing as it lies!

But as 'golfers' do we take this stoically on the chin and smile benignly, happy in the knowledge that this 'rub of the green' is what separates our chosen game from the run of the mill mainstream vulgar pastimes that others indulge in.

Or perhaps do we suddenly hate those old and ancient rule-makers with a passion that can scarcely be concealed, a passion that may want to make us to smash £80 quids worth of value off our Powakaddy with our 9-iron.

I am placidity personified until such an unfair (IMO) dilemma rears its ugly head. And when faced with the challenge I have been known to fail the test 😒

But what about you. Are some of our rules simply character-building or else just plain stupid?

 

[Tongo]

For me and my level of the game its a bit galling but so be it.

However, i remember Payne Stewart hitting a shot into a divot filled with sand at the 98 US Open. Unsure of how his ball would react or how deep the sand was he unsurprisingly made bogie, eventually losing by a shot. Those situations do make you wonder.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

A level playing field for everyone and every golfer will get good and bad breaks, if not over a round then over a few. Take the bad breaks on the chin and relish the rare moments lady luck shines

 

[peter1962]

The rub of the green I think its called

 

[Foxholer]

Relief from divots and the ability to repair spike marks are the 2 rules I'd change.

But knowing the reason they are as they are means they are fine by me!

 

[CMAC]

divots present a challenge- no more than a downhill lie etc

 

[3565]

Divot City at mine and not replacing them, saw 5 divots in a row on a 2 FT spread where the player practised and not replace one!
The daft rule for me is if you hit a ball into trouble, play a provisional into the fairway, declare your found original unplayable and the ONLY option is to go back to where you last played from, then continue to hit the original ball in same area where your provisional ended up at and your there for the same amount of shots!!!!! And they say golf is slow?

 

[Leereed]

Mine is at our place bunkers with foot prints in. no excuse because every bunker has at least one rake.seen a few good rounds ruined due to this. Deep sand within deep heel print.

 

[Val]

Plugged ball in the semi rough, miss the fairway by inches and you could be really punished............



...........oh and that rule that you can only use the back of your hand to brush away sand on the green

 

[chrisd]

I'd align the rules of stroke play and Matchplay much more

Less rules to learn and you're still playing the hole and not losing the hole because you've played a wrong ball or some other small error

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Sorry but I agree that you can't have relief from a divot - it would be manipulated by players who would look to take relief from the smallest scratch on the fairway to get a better lie

The plugged ball and spike marks would be the rules I would change

 

[ger147]

Plugged ball in the semi rough, miss the fairway by inches and you could be really punished............



...........oh and that rule that you can only use the back of your hand to brush away sand on the green

Local rule at our place for plugged balls in the semi.

 

[bladeplayer]

One or 2 may seem a bit silly but i guess they were devised out of necessity ,

They are there to be fair in equity ,& can be used to ur advantage as much as a penalty , pity alot of golfers dont bother to learn more

Just bn doing the R&A rules quiz , first time in a while 10/10 easy 9/10 moderate 9/10 difficult , i find it helps my knowledge

 

[Old Skier]

Plugged ball in the semi rough, miss the fairway by inches and you could be really punished............

Club issue - they can have a local rule

 

[rosecott]

Relief from divots and the ability to repair spike marks are the 2 rules I'd change.

But knowing the reason they are as they are means they are fine by me!

It's been discussed at great lengths many times in this forum and you know, in your heart of hearts, what would happen if both those rules were changed. It would be a cheats charter with players claiming that every minor blemish was a divot mark or spike mark, or probably both.

 

[rosecott]

Divot City at mine and not replacing them, saw 5 divots in a row on a 2 FT spread where the player practised and not replace one!
The daft rule for me is if you hit a ball into trouble, play a provisional into the fairway, declare your found original unplayable and the ONLY option is to go back to where you last played from, then continue to hit the original ball in same area where your provisional ended up at and your there for the same amount of shots!!!!! And they say golf is slow?

And you could guarantee that, when you've walked back to the tee to play 3 off the tee with it, you would definitely hit it to where your provisional lay and not back into the trouble in which you just found it.

 

[Val]

Ref the plugged ball thing, I'm aware clubs can have a local rule but if you can make a local rule then why not have permanently as a rule of golf?

 

[guest100718]

The rules are fine. It should be compulsory for everyone to learn the basics!

 

[Robobum]

The rules are fine. It should be compulsory for everyone to learn the basics!

Which are?

 

[rosecott]

Ref the plugged ball thing, I'm aware clubs can have a local rule but if you can make a local rule then why not have permanently as a rule of golf?

The local rule is intended for temporary use when extreme conditions prevail and is not meant to be a permanent feature.