Golf Rules.....Which Ones Would You Change?

[Eag's]

Following on from sms316 thread - http://www.ozgolf.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16940
If you were responsible for writing up a new set of rules, which ones would you change or get rid off?
For me -
1. Getting DQ for not signing your score card. (Dumbest rule ever :roll:)
2. Being penalised when your ball moves on the green after you have addressed it.

[adlo]

Both good choices Eag's.

I think landing in a divot on the fairway should be given free relief.

[MegaWatty]

Spike marks on the green. Some arrogant prick should have fixed them!!!

[Jarro]

Moving potential club damaging objects from bunkers :smt093

[Grunt]

Can't you actually do that Jarro if you get you marker to agree it could be a risk of hurting either yourself or a fellow player. ie Rocks

[Daves]

Can't you actually do that Jarro if you get you marker to agree it could be a risk of hurting either yourself or a fellow player. ie Rocks


Some clubs adopt a local rule for it, allows you to remove loose stones from bunkers.

[Jarro]

I wasn't aware you could do it without penalty ??

[Daves]

I wasn't aware you could do it without penalty ??

see Local Rules section page 125 in the ROG. Reddy Bay has it.

[Minor_Threat]

Following on from sms316 thread - http://www.ozgolf.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16940
If you were responsible for writing up a new set of rules, which ones would you change or get rid off?
For me -
1. Getting DQ for not signing your score card. (Dumbest rule ever :roll:)
2. Being penalised when your ball moves on the green after you have addressed it.
Can't agree with not signing your card. It is a simnple step to acknowledge the scores that have been written down, it isn't that difficult is it?

I dont have any issues with any rules so much, but I do hope they restrict equipment technology or cap it to how it currently stands!

[PerryGroves]

Bunker has a pond in the middle, you land in it, take your drop, splat, inevitably it's plugged. Let me place it at the nearest relief point out of the water. Has always seemed to me to be a double penalty.

[TheNuclearOne]

Some clubs adopt a local rule for it, allows you to remove loose stones from bunkers.


Yep, been in here for years.

[markTHEblake]

All of the rules of golf supports an underlying principle, to modify one that would mean relaxing or removing that principle. example is signing our cards, as that is the proof of our score, which is based on the #1 foundation or principle of golf - that we are on our "honour".

The placing of a ball after taking relief in a bunker is the good suggestion so far.

The one I also struggle with is when they make bunkers GUR, very common at Sanctuary Cove The Pines. The nearest point of relief often results in the golfer becoming very lucky by being able to drop on the green. I would like to see that a Sample local rule being drawn up that requires the golfer to take relief outside the bunker only on a line from the Hole and where the ball was, thus ensuring that he is still being impacted by hitting into the bunkers.

[Dennis]

Penalty for brushing the sand with your club in a bunker on the backstroke. As long as you complete the stroke, shouldn't be a penalty

[PeteyD]

But that could alter your swingpath.

[Dennis]

But that could alter your swingpath.

OK...why is it then ok to knock leaves off trees during the course of a swing...no penalty...you could alter your path there too

Knock grains of sand on your swing...penalty

It's an inconsistant rule

[henno]

Setting off firecrackers on the tee. It should be encouraged, even compulsory.

[PeteyD]

Um no, if you are in a hazard and knock leaves it is a penalty too.

[jimandr]

I saw an unfair rule in operation today, on the 18th at Wallacia. The course is soft after recent rain. Pup is a yard off the cut portion of the fairway, less than five yards from the surface of the green, but his ball is embedded. He had to play it as it lie, leaving an impossible shot, that would also inevitably cause damage to the course when he dug it out.

I know the downside of allowing relief from an embedded ball through the green, but I'd still change the rule and allow a drop, nearest point of relief. I've never agreed with the principle that a ''clearly'' embedded ball in the rough is rub of the green.

[markTHEblake]

I saw an unfair rule in operation today, on the 18th at Wallacia.

If the course gets muddy enough the committee should have the common sense to invoke the local rule from the Rules of Golf appendix

[Dennis]

Setting off firecrackers on the tee. It should be encouraged, even compulsory.

Perhaps only those that are over 100kg should be allowed on the course also?

[Jarro]

Perhaps only those that are over 100kg should be allowed on the course also?

They should be charged more for a round.

The extra $$$$ can pay for repairs needed to the course afterwards

[Dennis]

They should be charged more for a round.

The extra $$$$ can pay for repairs needed to the course afterwards

It's not just the footmarks they leave, but the extra mars bar wrappers to clean up and also the unexploded fireworls shells

[zacdullard]

unexploded fireworls shells
Fireworls?

[Dennis]

Fireworls?

Never seen a typo before?

Congratulations for pointing it out :smt038

Can you guess what it was meant to spell?

[ParMaster]

Narwhals?

Tool.

[PeteyD]

Tool.

Even Pup has some Dennis love.

[Eag's]

Stay on topic you clowns [-X

[Dotty]

Rule 4-4. Maximum of Fourteen Clubs.

Reduce it to 10 clubs maximum.

[Yossarian]

Rule 4-4. Maximum of Fourteen Clubs.

Reduce it to 10 clubs maximum.


What your thoughts behind that Dotty?

[sumo]

Bunker has a pond in the middle, you land in it, take your drop, splat, inevitably it's plugged. Let me place it at the nearest relief point out of the water. Has always seemed to me to be a double penalty.

Have to agree here, I think any drop in a bunker should be placed to avoid a plugged ball. unless the ball is already plugged. Landed in a bunker right next to a playing partners ball , both balls not plugged, as I was a couple of inches in front of him I marked my ball , let him play his shot then took a drop , plugged.:smt013:smt013

[markTHEblake]

let him play his shot then took a drop , plugged.:smt013:smt013

This should go in the thread "rules we should know" not this one :)

you have to recreate the original lie that you had - cos obviously the other person took a divot.

you then place your ball, exactly how it was before.

[Minor_Threat]

both balls not plugged, as I was a couple of inches in front of him I marked my ball , let him play his shot then took a drop , plugged.:smt013:smt013Incorrect..

You should have replaced your ball as to re create the original lie, as per MTBs post.

[sumo]

Well there you go , the single figure player in our group gave me a bum ruling.

[Dotty]

What your thoughts behind that Dotty?
Primarily, to redress the skill vs. equipment balance, in the same vein as recent groove and COR changes.

Secondly, to get away from the paint-by-numbers golf, and more variety, like Tiger winning the Open at Hoylake with only one swing of the driver.

It would be an interesting dilemna, whether one would retain 4* gaps between wedges, at the expense of rescues/hybrids and fairway woods.

Or resort to larger (20m) gaps between mid-irons.

[LarryLong]

I like that idea, Dotty. You could have some very interesting WNITB discussions during tournaments.

[Daves]

Primarily, to redress the skill vs. equipment balance, in the same vein as recent groove and COR changes.

Secondly, to get away from the paint-by-numbers golf, and more variety, like Tiger winning the Open at Hoylake with only one swing of the driver.

It would be an interesting dilemna, whether one would retain 4* gaps between wedges, at the expense of rescues/hybrids and fairway woods.

Or resort to larger (20m) gaps between mid-irons.

It is an interesting exercise to actually keep stats on which clubs you use during a round, and how often. I reckon I could get down to 10 clubs without a lot of pain. Driver, FW, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, PW, LW, putter.

[adlo]

I think I could play Driver, 19-20 degree hybrid, 5,6,7,8,9,PW,56* and putter quite happily.

[Yossarian]

It would be interesting, it would almost increase ho-ing as people search for the right crubs to fit the gaps.

[matty]

The ten club rule would make for interesing golf for a short time but I think after a few rounds everyone would adapt to the same standard as before.
I'd pick Driver, 3-9, sandwedge, and putter.

As I don't use a 3 wood the only difference to my current bag is the missing PW and 60* lob, so not a huge difference.

[Webster]

Dotty, I like your rule change suggestion:

I would play driver, 4 wood, 24 degree hybrid, 5 iron, 7-PW, 58* sand wedge and putter.

[Dotty]

Thanks for the vote of confidence in the 10 club idea.

Personally, 3w 7w, 5-pw, 56*, putter.

[Minor_Threat]

I think it is a great idea also Dotty.. I mentioned earlier in this thread that I think something further needs to be done with equipment specs / rules.

I would probably play 13* Wood, 4 - SW, Putter

[Scottt]

MT: let's both play that setup for a year. I guarantee both our scoring averages drop.

[Minor_Threat]

MT: let's both play that setup for a year. I guarantee both our scoring averages drop.Yeah maybe, I love my 60* a lot though.. I would need to spend some time working on my SW.

To add to the above setup, I should add that I would probably fiddle with the iron lofts to get a spread from about 210m - 80m, across the 4I - 56*.

[Scottt]

Do it.

Seriously. Let's f**k with the idea of a roll back.

Play with lofts if it helps, but let's try it.

[Minor_Threat]

Do it.

Seriously. Let's f**k with the idea of a roll back.

Play with lofts if it helps, but let's try it.
Ill pass mate..

I love hitting the big dog too much!

[Johnny Canuck]

With my current bag I would probably go:

Driver
2hybrid
4hybrid
4iron
6iron
8iron
PW
54* Wedge
60* Wedge
Putter

[Grunt]

I have recently sort of done this. I have got sick of all the wedge choices and reduced to just the TM SW that came with the set & pulled out the 54 & 58 Vokey's. I have slipped another Fairway metal in because I can but could get away with not having it if the rules told me so.

[matty]

I did not think so many would be prepared to leave out irons in the 3-9 range. Interesting.

Nothing I hate more than being in between clubs.

[Daves]

I did not think so many would be prepared to leave out irons in the 3-9 range. Interesting.

Nothing I hate more than being in between clubs.

I can move the ball forward a little and hit my 8 like a 9, or stand on a PW if a soft 9 is needed. Ditto 4/5 iron shots.

[KristianJ]

I did not think so many would be prepared to leave out irons in the 3-9 range. Interesting.

Nothing I hate more than being in between clubs.

I'm not sure whether I would leave out any of my irons in the 3-9 range, even though I am confident that I could modify my stance, ball position and other attributes to cater for missing clubs. Most likely I'd sacrifice the driver and fairway wood up top and have a setup as follows:

2 hybrid
4-PW
53 or 54* wedge
Putter

[ParMaster]

You could just putt with the toe of a wedge.

That'd same one club.

[Scottt]

Rule 4-4. Maximum of Fourteen Clubs.

Reduce it to 10 clubs maximum.

I only carry 11 at the mo, so that wouldn't be too hard

dr
3h
5i-PW
56 deg wedge
putter

[KristianJ]

You could just putt with the toe of a wedge.

That'd same one club.

The thought of using the 2 hybrid crossed my mind...in which case I'd probably put the 3 wood in.

[Scottt]

You could just putt with the toe of a wedge.

That'd same one club.

Why drop the specialty club you play almost half your shots with?

[ParMaster]

Because you could adapt another club in the bag to perform the same function aswell. ;)

:razz:

[adlo]

I would never putt with a wedge or hybrid permanently. I would much prefer to drop pretty much any other club in the bag.

[ParMaster]

Well you never know untill you give it a try.