Time to tweak rules of golf
Don’t get too excited because we are dealing with the United States Golf Association, but common sense might actually be coming to the game of golf.
Or more specifically the rules of golf.
The USGA and its counterparts across the Atlantic, the R&A, announced a list of proposed changes to the rules of golf this week. Some are significant, some are not. All, however, are meant to simplify the rules, which have become archaic and sometimes downright silly.
You can find the complete list at usga.org, but here are the ones I believe to be most significant.
1 – Caddies can no longer stand on a line behind a player while the player is taking his or her stance until the stroke is made. This is an LPGA issue, one I’ve never understood. The ladies are athletes, they’re professional and get paid to play, correct? So why have they been allowed to have this crutch for all this time?
Ladies, it’s time to grow up, learn how to align yourself and read a putt. I’m a bit concerned, however, about what that change might do in terms of pace of play. Will the women use having no caddie as a reason to drag the pace down even further?
2 – One of the more radical proposals is that a player will be allowed to ground his club anywhere except a bunker. The area formerly known as a “hazard” will be known as a “penalty area” and players can ground clubs there and move loose impediments. Remember when Carl Petterson in the 2012 PGA Championship, standing in a lateral water hazard, brushed a leaf with his backswing and was penalized? There would be no more of that.
3 – One rule that has always been a testy and tricky one is spike marks on greens. Ball marks could be repaired, but spike marks were determined to be rub of the green. Always thought that was dumb, but what did I know? Under the proposed rule change, players can try to create as smooth a surface as they can to roll their putts.
4 – While most of the proposed rules changes apply to professional and upper level amateur golf, the recreational golfer wasn’t forgotten. With an eye on improving the place of play at the level, the governing bodies have encouraged playing ready golf, allowing putts to be holed with the flagstick in and recommending a double-par maximum for each hole.
5 – If a player loses his mind for an instant and damages a club, he or she can use the club in competition. Under the current rules, only clubs damaged in the normal course of play could be used, not those damaged in a fit of rage.
6 – Instead of dropping a ball from shoulder height, players would be allowed to drop from anything above an inch. If approved, this one will become controversial, I’m guessing. Players will find ways to abuse that one.
7 – Players would be allowed to touch or move loose impediments in a bunker and would be allowed, to a limited degree, to touch the sand with a hand or club. Players will still not be able to touch the sand to test the condition of it or touch the sand in a bunker making a practice swing.
If all the proposals are approved, the total number rules in that voluminous book would drop from 34-24. The organizations also promised to provide a more user-friendly rules book.
For the next six months — until the end of August — feedback will be accepted on the proposals. The final rulebook will be drafted after that. The new rules would go into effect Jan. 1, 2019.
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Bad news for those who watch the Masters for the brilliant colors of the azaleas and the other flowers. The wacky weather that has affected much of the nation has struck Augusta, Ga. has caused early blooming at Augusta National Golf Club and the peak will take place before the Masters, April 6-9.
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The Golf Show, with yours truly as the host, returns next Saturday at 7 a.m. on 93.7 The Fan. Hope you’ll tune in.
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Do you have an interesting story about your club or course or an individual who has done something special, let me know. Send your story ideas to mike.dudurich@gmail.com.