What's golf's most out of date rule?

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I beg to differ.

I shall start with Amateur Status.

I did deliberately refer to playing rules

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

:thup: Just remember to do it after you play as you can't improve your line off the green

Of course - I mentioned this as I had the discussion here on whether I could repair pitch marks - and discussion then drifted into repairing divots 'scrapes' between self and target (green)

 

[drdel]

The rule that says a caddie in not an outside agency and can therefore give advice should be reversed.

With all the information caddie's now use the 'conferences' held over each shot is delaying play and killing the game.

If we allowed a player the use of a GPS device that provided distances the a player would be on his/her own. The player would also have to line-up their own putts.

The speed of play would improve and all players would have the same info.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

The rule that says a caddie in not an outside agency and can therefore give advice should be reversed.

With all the information caddie's now use the 'conferences' held over each shot is delaying play and killing the game.

If we allowed a player the use of a GPS device that provided distances the a player would be on his/her own. The player would also have to line-up their own putts.

The speed of play would improve and all players would have the same info.

Th distance isn't the thing that causes the delay. The caddies can give that pretty quickly. What causes delay is the discussion about wind, club, where to land it and then the caddy having to convince the pro he's doing the right thing before he hits the shot.

I agree that caddies's involvement should be curtailed though.

 

[drdel]

Th distance isn't the thing that causes the delay. The caddies can give that pretty quickly. What causes delay is the discussion about wind, club, where to land it and then the caddy having to convince the pro he's doing the right thing before he hits the shot.

I agree that caddies's involvement should be curtailed though.

If you read my second paragraph "With all the information caddie's now use the 'conferences' held over each shot is delaying play and killing the game." you'll see I didn't say it was questions about distance that caused delay, but the endless 'conferences'!

By suggesting GPS distance info be available to anyone I was indicating that this modern technology lowered the need for the caddie's constant input less and also could 'level the playing-field' !

 

[Foxholer]

I beg to differ.

I shall start with Amateur Status.

One of the areas I actually like the intent, if not always the application. There's very few shamateur golfers.

What's your gripe? Return from Pro ranks?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If you read my second paragraph "With all the information caddie's now use the 'conferences' held over each shot is delaying play and killing the game." you'll see I didn't say it was questions about distance that caused delay, but the endless 'conferences'!

By suggesting GPS distance info be available to anyone I was indicating that this modern technology lowered the need for the caddie's constant input less and also could 'level the playing-field' !

You shouldn't change a rule (or a law) because of the behaviour of a few - see Dangerous Dogs and unintended consequences. You tighten up on imposing penalties associated with existing rules. I suspect the caddies input these days is changed from the past and that is the issue - was 80% factual; 20% mind - now 20% factual; 80% mind.

 

[CMAC]

You shouldn't change a rule (or a law) because of the behaviour of a few - see Dangerous Dogs and unintended consequences. You tighten up on imposing penalties associated with existing rules. I suspect the caddies input these days is changed from the past and that is the issue - was 80% factual; 20% mind - now 20% factual; 80% mind.

is that a fact?

 

[cliveb]

Th distance isn't the thing that causes the delay. The caddies can give that pretty quickly. What causes delay is the discussion about wind, club, where to land it and then the caddy having to convince the pro he's doing the right thing before he hits the shot.

Perhaps there should be a new rule on tour - if the player discusses the shot with the caddie for more than 20 seconds, then the caddie must play the shot. That should put a stop to it

 

[Doon frae Troon]

One of the areas I actually like the intent, if not always the application. There's very few shamateur golfers.

What's your gripe? Return from Pro ranks?

National amateur associations give out M&S vouchers as prizes, what is different from that than actual cash.
try giving your staff M&S vouchers as a bonus and see what the taxman says about that.

Re Comment about shamateurs, all the top amateurs are at it, bending old fashioned rules so they can play golf full time.
Cashing in vouchers, made up jobs, 'work' sponsors, playing equipment and clothing 'deals'. It is widespread.

If golf is supposed to be am amateur sport why do we have so many sweeps and club prizes?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

is that a fact?

Of course not - I did say 'I suspect' and I may well be completely wrong. You do hear a lot of caddies giving what is really affirmative advice. And it is often repeated and repeated to get the positive thoughts embedded in players mind. So I am just thinking if that caddies discussions are taking longer these days - then maybe it is this stuff that is part to blame.

 

[Foxholer]

National amateur associations give out M&S vouchers as prizes, what is different from that than actual cash.
try giving your staff M&S vouchers as a bonus and see what the taxman says about that.

Re Comment about shamateurs, all the top amateurs are at it, bending old fashioned rules so they can play golf full time.
Cashing in vouchers, made up jobs, 'work' sponsors, playing equipment and clothing 'deals'. It is widespread.

If golf is supposed to be am amateur sport why do we have so many sweeps and club prizes?

Nothing in there actually proves anything - all innuendo.

'Bending' of Rules (pushing boundaries, maximising benefits etc) is fine as long as it doesn't actually break them! I'd be interested in knowing how the Dubai trips are justified/measured/worked around though as they seem more than amateur limits - not prizes perhaps? The top ams with potential do have a 'problem' - survival - and the Rules are, imo, quite reasonable about what can and can't be allowed. Now that GW has turned Pro, I don't believe there are many, if any, 'career amateurs' about.

I've certainly received vouchers (and they were M&S ones) as 'bonus' by a company I was working for (contracting too). Pretty sure they paid a standard BiK tax on top.

Vouchers as prizes are pretty traditional - and much easier to manage than cash.

As for sweeps/club prizes...that just makes the entire post seem ridiculous!