Rules of Golf: What's Your "Favorite" Stupid Rules?

[Hanks]

+1 completely

Having to play out of a divot needs to go, it's ground under repair. Grounding a club, rake etc. in a bunker needs to go because you can dig your feet in to build a stance. That right there is all the testing of the sand you need, just a pointless rule in general. Make the rule you can't ground your club at address in a bunker to improve the lie of the ball and that is much more fair and practical. That leads to not being able to touch anything loose in a hazard, the weed at Hilton Head is all that needs to be said, just an out right stupid rule, if you touch something during the swing there should not be a penalty and once the ball is out of the hazard there DEFINITELY shouldn't be a penalty of grounding a club. Not being able to fix pitch marks on the green until you are on it is about the dumbest rule in the game. If the green is damaged in anyway the player should be allowed to fix it, spike mark, balll mark or wild strand of grass or weed, anything that improves the course helps everyone and you shouldn't be penalized for some lazy asshat to fat to fix his damage. The ball moving while addressing it should have been thrown out in the past 20 years, in 1970 when they putted on shag carpet it was one thing, today's greens run upwards to 15 on a stimpmeter on downhill putts, any gust of wind can move a ball when you are putting on greens as slick as hardwood floors and unless you touch the ball how can it be called a stroke, just STUPID. And lastly the one rule that people break all the time is asking a competitor what club they hit, who cares? There are quizzes on the USGA website that I bet 1 out of 100 pro's could answer 100 percent of those questions, that to me is a set of rules that needs some serious modification.

One thing I would like to add, there are comments in this thread saying on a real player would know the rule etc. etc. If that was the case the PGA wouldn't hire men to follow around professional athletes who make a living playing this game if the rule book was easy to understand. When you have to have an official clarify rules for you then there is something wrong with the rules, the rules that people b*tch about most are usually the rules that have no use and take away from the fun. Last time I checked every game ever invented was done so to have fun, golf should be no exception.

 

[tdinbr]

I think they should bring back the "stymie rule"!!!

 

[Smallville]

Can someone clarify this one for me...are these things totally illegal, or was it accidentally left on and she ended up taking a stroke with it?

I thought it was determined she was using a practice aid during a round.

 

[ken419]

I thought it was determined she was using a practice aid during a round.

Thanks, Smalls...I rarely watch golf on TV (I find it boring to watch; I'd rather play and work on my own game) so I never heard of this incident.

 

[Smallville]

My wife was watching when they were talking about it. That was what she got out of the explanation.

 

[Jeanthemachine]

When we see the application of the rules in these recent situations (Johnson, Inkster) they seem stupid along with other rules. My thought is hat these rules have evolved over many years and are the result of much thought and debate and while these decisions are questionable maybe we should consider what might occur if these rules were removed.

We all know players who play fast and loose with the current rules so we need to proceed cautiously with any rules changes. The rules are in place for reasons we may no completely understand.

 

[lindy72]

I thought the Inkster ruling was strange, but she should have known the rules...as stated earlier you can swing 2 clubs to stay loose but not one with a weight....The players can have a therapist or a chiropractor work on them during the wait (or at any time) and that doesn't help their swing? ...And aren't there rules against slow play? A 30 minute wait on any tee is unacceptable....On Sunday there were 3 groups waiting on the tee on 17, the short par 4...Maybe the thread should have been titled "Rules that make you go HUH???"

 

[JPsuff]

Here are some Rules of Golf (RoG) that (to me) make no sense at all:

·Rule: Placing a towel under one’s knee to keep one’s pants clean (Craig Stadler) is called “Building a Stance” (never mind that he had to be on his knees to hit a shot in the first place). But wiggling and digging one’s feet into the sand in a bunker is not called "Building a Stance" and is regarded by the RoG as something that “normally precede the completion of the stance”.

Solution: Either include digging in to a bunker as “Building a Stance” (which it is) or simply eliminate the term altogether.

·Rule: A ball moved by the wind on a putting green after a player has addressed the ball becomes a one-stroke penalty for the player. This makes no sense at all because a rule with the threat of a penalty exists to dissuade people from breaking that rule. This of course implies that there would be some intent to do so on the part of the player. But exactly what “intent” exists in the case of the wind moving the ball? Are the RoG suggesting that a player possesses telekinetic powers and can summon a gust of wind at will? And even if this were true, why in God’s name would anyone wish to do this?

Solution: This rule needs to go. If the wind moves the ball it just gets put back where it was and we move on.

·Rule: According to the Rules of Golf, a player has "addressed the ball" when he has taken his stance and has also grounded his club, except that in a hazard a player has addressed the ball when he has taken his stance.
So which is it?
Everyone knows that in the case of windy conditions on putting greens if a player does not ground his club he has not officially addressed the ball so the wind can do whatever it wants with his ball. But if he DOES ground his club, he is now responsible for an act of God and must be penalized for something over which he has no control whatsoever.

Solution: Define ALL forms of address as “Taking a Stance” thus eliminating the unfair advantage enjoyed by those who “hover” over those who don’t.

·Rule: A players ball lands in a divot in the fairway and must be played from the divot. Of course if the same type of gouge in the fairway was caused by a burrowing animal as it began to burrow but was scared away (probably by the incoming golf ball) and the ball comes to rest in this gouge, it can be removed and placed on the fairway. But if the gouge was made by a dog, cat, horse, Llama, Bison, Leopard or any other non-burrowing animal, then the ball must be played from the gouge.

Solution: Get rid of this stupid rule!
Yes I know that the RoG do not recognize a “fairway” even though the entire Western world (as well as the Eastern, Northern and Southern) world does and every golfer and golf organization in the world keeps detailed stats for hitting these “closely mown areas” that look an awful lot like those fairways that don’t exist. Note to the USGA/R&A: get over it. They’re called fairways and a fairway lie shouldn’t be a hole in the turf and it shouldn’t matter whether the hole was caused by Bugs Bunny or some guy named Frankie who chili-dipped his wedge shot.

·Rule: Spike marks cannot be fixed by simply tapping them down with the sole of one’s putter, but gouges taken from the putting green by a player’s incoming ball (some up to four inches long) can be meticulously repaired using specialized tools and can then be tamped level by the sole of one’s putter (the very same implement and procedure that couldn’t be used to tap down the single blade of grass).

Solution: Another “rule” that belongs in the “What were they thinking” file and one that needs to go the way of the petticoat and the stovepipe hat.
It has been said that a major reason why this rule has been kept is to maintain the pace of play. Since it already takes about an hour or so for the average pro to analyze his putt and visually scour every inch of terrain in preparation for his putt (thank God there’s a rule against using transit levels and other surveying instruments), would tapping down a spike mark really add all that much time?
Besides, if someone misses a putt because of a spike mark, we first have to endure the requisite histrionics and finger pointing directed at the offending grass blade not to mention the fact that he has to putt again (which may take another hour).

·Rule: If a player’s ball comes to rest near a lateral water hazard, he may remove the red stake designating such a hazard if that stake interferes with his stance or stroke and then replace the stake after he’s played his shot, all without penalty. But if a player’s ball comes to rest near a white stake designating “Out of Bounds” and that stake interferes with his stance or stroke, moving this stake would incur a penalty.

Solution: A stake is a stake and that’s that. If one can be temporarily removed without penalty, then the same should be true for all of them.

These are just some of the things that come to mind in regard to the silliness of many rules. There are plenty of other rules which are equally silly or ambiguous and which seem to exist solely for the amusement of those who write them. I think that most rules have a basis in common sense and have stood the test of time. But there are still plenty of rules, which simply don’t make all that much sense and need to be either modified to make more sense or just eliminated altogether.


-JP

 

[Sean]

Great post James, especially: "One thing I would like to add, there are comments in this thread saying on a real player would know the rule etc. etc. If that was the case the PGA wouldn't hire men to follow around professional athletes who make a living playing this game if the rule book was easy to understand. When you have to have an official clarify rules for you then there is something wrong with the rules..."

JP: I couldn't agree more. I compare the rules of golf to the IRS tax code. The rules officials who follow the players should be called auditors.

 

[Slammin'SAM]

Interesting story, Sam- thanks for sharing. I'm curious, though...what was this person's motivation for sticking a stray club in your bag?

This was the second round of a two day tournament - I was 2 shots off the lead and in the next-to-last pairing. There were about 10 spectators following my foursome. One of the spectators was the woman I was dating, who was putting on the practice green before play began while I was at the range warming up. She did not see me go to the first tee, and when our group was called on the intercom, she did not have time to return to her car and put away her putter. Not wanting to carry the putter all day, she put the putter in my bag while it was away from me around the dogleg of the par 5 first hole. I actually never saw her until after I removed her putter from my bag. I never blamed her at all - she was new to golf and had no clue of any club limit. And since we've now been married nearly 23 years I think you can believe I forgave her.

Who the spectator was is totally irrelevant. Under this rule no golfer is safe. Whether the occurrence is as innocent as this was, or if a golfer has an enemy, or if a spectator simply has malicious intent (say one had a healthy side bet and wanted some "insurance" as to the outcome), it would be easy in most any amateur tournament to sneak a club into a competitor's bag, and no matter what, that golfer is guilty of breaking the 14 club limit and gets the penalty. According to the USGA, the golfer is responsible for his bag AT ALL TIMES, but nobody could break 90 if they had to keep an eye on their bag AT ALL TIMES.

 

[Griff]

Silly Rules From the USGA

Silly Rules From the USGA

What rule twists you up in the game of golf?

There are several that grind my gears. One that is at the forefront is rangefinders with slope. Pros have the benefit of not only never taking a lost ball penalty, they also benefit from caddies plotting courses for them with slope rangefinders. Do they use them to plot out the course? Maybe, maybe not. Point is they can and it is doesn't break any rules. Pros can hire a team of surveyors and meteorologists if they want to...doesn't break the rules. Why are us hackers held to their standards?

That is the spirit of my beef with some rules from the USGA. Recreational golfers must abide by the same rules as touring pros. The only difference is we don't have to follow the rules and the pros do. If followed properly some rules of golf are not balanced at all.

 

[T0AD]

It IS rather aggravating to 'lose a ball in plain sight' and then take the stroke and distance, while the pros get the benefit of TV, marshals, and galleries in locating their ball.
I'm sure many of us deal with pine straw, falling leaves, mulch, etc that can easily camouflage a ball from plain site and you simply cannot find it. Tough cookies, go back and try again!
And on the topic of stroke and distance, if the local clubs, along with the PGA want to speed up play, why not get rid of that rule altogether!?!? My home course is slow enough with the groups that play for a quarter a hole and act like it's the PGA Championship!

 

[wcueb923]

To keep the game fun. If the ball is lost in plain site we always allow a free drop , in the area we last saw ball enter

 

[Ole Gray]

It IS rather aggravating to 'lose a ball in plain sight' and then take the stroke and distance, while the pros get the benefit of TV, marshals, and galleries in locating their ball.
I'm sure many of us deal with pine straw, falling leaves, mulch, etc that can easily camouflage a ball from plain site and you simply cannot find it. Tough cookies, go back and try again!
And on the topic of stroke and distance, if the local clubs, along with the PGA want to speed up play, why not get rid of that rule altogether!?!? My home course is slow enough with the groups that play for a quarter a hole and act like it's the PGA Championship!

To keep the game fun. If the ball is lost in plain site we always allow a free drop , in the area we last saw ball enter

We even put this rule into play for our Club Championship. Instead of wasting time in the hot sun (June) looking for balls, we drop on the line of flight no closer to the hole. If a tree is in your way you can not drop it to the side so as to remove the obstacle. It speeds up play and helps to shorten the rounds. It get's really hot in here in Georgia in June! We use to hit a provisional ball but found some golfers even spending too much time looking for those so the rule was made simple.

 

[DawgDaddy]

A golfer should be able to lift and clean a "mud" ball any time, not just when the lift, clean and place rule is in force, and not just in the fairway. Nothing more demoralizing that hitting a great drive down the middle and finding it covered in mud on the side you will be making impact.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

A golfer should be able to lift and clean a "mud" ball any time, not just when the lift, clean and place rule is in force, and not just in the fairway. Nothing more demoralizing that hitting a great drive down the middle and finding it covered in mud on the side you will be making impact.

I agree on this one.

 

[MikeF]

To keep the game fun. If the ball is lost in plain site we always allow a free drop , in the area we last saw ball enter

We adopt the same approach but with a 1 stroke penalty. So you are playing 3 when you drop

A golfer should be able to lift and clean a "mud" ball any time, not just when the lift, clean and place rule is in force, and not just in the fairway. Nothing more demoralizing that hitting a great drive down the middle and finding it covered in mud on the side you will be making impact.

100% agree with this

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

I know there has been some push over the years to change a tee ball OB to stroke/distance instead of going back to the tee, but I'm not a big believer in rewarding a bad shot with the distance.
If a person hits a 300 yard drive but it goes OB, they should NOT be given a drop at the point it went OB, in this case 300 yards from the tee. This is rewarding a bad shot by giving them the distance (for one stroke). Who wouldn't want that? Just too big of a gift. I know it sucks going back to the tee, but I think this still the best action. If we make it easier, it won't be golf anymore at some point.

 

[RxGus]

I know there has been some push over the years to change a tee ball OB to stroke/distance instead of going back to the tee, but I'm not a big believer in rewarding a bad shot with the distance.
If a person hits a 300 yard drive but it goes OB, they should NOT be given a drop at the point it went OB, in this case 300 yards from the tee. This is rewarding a bad shot by giving them the distance (for one stroke). Who wouldn't want that? Just too big of a gift. I know it sucks going back to the tee, but I think this still the best action. If we make it easier, it won't be golf anymore at some point.

So based on that logic- you should lose distance if you put it in the lake? What real difference is there between the lake on the left and the OB on the right?

A bad shot is a bad shot, regardless if it goes into the woods or the pond. The only difference between OB and a lateral hazard is who owns the land, and that is just plain silly.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

So based on that logic- you should lose distance if you put it in the lake? What real difference is there between the lake on the left and the OB on the right?

A bad shot is a bad shot, regardless if it goes into the woods or the pond. The only difference between OB and a lateral hazard is who owns the land, and that is just plain silly.

You make a good point!

I think the point of the rule is that OB is not part of the course, while a water hazard is. My bigger point is; do we really want to change rules to make the game easier? There is a couple of active threads about moving up a set of tees to make the game more fun and faster. I like that idea, while I don't like the idea of changing rules really.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

Another point before we get there, I don't think there should ever be any OB inside the outer limits of the course. Anything inside the course should be staked as a hazard. OB should only be on the perimeter of the course. This is something my home course has changed the past few years. We use to have a area inside that was staked OB but it was changed to yellow stakes making it a hazard instead.

 

[MikeF]

I know there has been some push over the years to change a tee ball OB to stroke/distance instead of going back to the tee, but I'm not a big believer in rewarding a bad shot with the distance.
If a person hits a 300 yard drive but it goes OB, they should NOT be given a drop at the point it went OB, in this case 300 yards from the tee. This is rewarding a bad shot by giving them the distance (for one stroke). Who wouldn't want that? Just too big of a gift. I know it sucks going back to the tee, but I think this still the best action. If we make it easier, it won't be golf anymore at some point.

In competitive play we use 3 from the tee, in friendly games we use the penalty drop rather than having to walk back to the tee. If we know for certain we won't find the ball or that it is definitely OOB then we always reload from the tee.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

In competitive play we use 3 from the tee, in friendly games we use the penalty drop rather than having to walk back to the tee. If we know for certain we won't find the ball or that it is definitely OOB then we always reload from the tee.

I would say this is the most common way. I would always say to just play a provisional ball if there is any doubt. If everyone would do that, the need to return to the tee would be greatly reduced.

 

[Gamma]

I drop and play four rather than walk back to the tee, both for lost in plain sight and OB. I know it's not according to the rules, but I don't want to slow play down. I tell myself I am not giving myself an advantage doing this since I count two penalty strokes, one for distance and one for replay.

 

[RatFink]

I know there has been some push over the years to change a tee ball OB to stroke/distance instead of going back to the tee, but I'm not a big believer in rewarding a bad shot with the distance.
If a person hits a 300 yard drive but it goes OB, they should NOT be given a drop at the point it went OB, in this case 300 yards from the tee. This is rewarding a bad shot by giving them the distance (for one stroke). Who wouldn't want that? Just too big of a gift. I know it sucks going back to the tee, but I think this still the best action. If we make it easier, it won't be golf anymore at some point.

We always allow the drop when I play with my friends, just because it would typically take too long to walk back to the tee from where we lost the ball. I guess when playing 'ready golf' it just makes more sense to allow the drop, instead of holding up the group behind you. But you do make a fair point.