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Make up your own rules?

Interesting thoughts from both sides.
 
Best 3.5 years of my life. Pledged ATO, lived in Wyman apts and played out of Indianola CC, great 9 hole track. Played all over the state and loved every minute of it.
JRod said:
Awesome dude i had no Idea. Indianola. Had two good friends go there.
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coers said:
Wow Freddie I didn't know you use to be up here in BFE..
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moosejaa said:
And as far as the root question go back to the tournament where Rory McIlroy hurt his wrist on a root. He took a normal, full swing and caught the root after striking the ball clean. Why would you take that chance in a casual round and take an unplayable when you could move it back a foot. And again, how does doing so somehow make you a worse golfer when it comes time for a competitive round?
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There's no definitive answer in terms of competitive round vs not competitive round with respect to your ability level.

It's possible that if you play such shots as they lie, you could become better at dealing with the "ball in roots" shot. It's also possible that if you play the ball as it lies, disaster will happen and you'll post a much worse score, leading to a higher handicap than you would have had otherwise.

But I think Freddie's point is, moving the ball back a foot is not "no big deal." You're fundamentally altering the shot you can attempt into a MUCH easier one. It's the same thing as rolling the ball out of the rough or fluffing it whenever it's sitting down. Would you really argue doing that doesn't give you an inflated opinion of your ability or at the very least, a dishonest score?

Don't get me wrong, if it's a casual round, I could care less. Throw the ball out into the fairway for all I care. But don't try to take my money or brag that you whipped me by 4 shots unless you played the same game I did. I guarantee you that friends I play with routinely would shoot 10 strokes worse if they played the game by the rules. But they don't and they go home happy at their victory of having "beaten me" again. I just smile, content with the knowledge that I played better.
 
We allow movement from rocks and roots but the line must stay the same, and anything between the ball and the hole must still be between the ball and the hole. We don't have enough $ to buy new clubs, or to go to the ER with a busted wrist.
 
wadesworld said:
There's no definitive answer in terms of competitive round vs not competitive round with respect to your ability level.

It's possible that if you play such shots as they lie, you could become better at dealing with the "ball in roots" shot. It's also possible that if you play the ball as it lies, disaster will happen and you'll post a much worse score, leading to a higher handicap than you would have had otherwise.

But I think Freddie's point is, moving the ball back a foot is not "no big deal." You're fundamentally altering the shot you can attempt into a MUCH easier one. It's the same thing as rolling the ball out of the rough or fluffing it whenever it's sitting down. Would you really argue that doing that doesn't give you an inflated opinion of your ability or at the very least, a dishonest score?
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I agree with you completely on rolling or fluffing your ball. And I see how the fear of hitting the root might alter your angle of attack, maybe try to pick/sweep it more. I just don't see how either scenario being rare occurrences if at all during a round are going to make your ability seem that much better to make any difference when it comes to competitive play. If you're taking mulligans, improving your lie, ignoring penalty strokes a few times each round then you're just kidding yourself if you log those scores and you will look like a chump when you have to follow the rules to a tee.
 
tpluff said:
Right here. And I will add to this injury via anything that may seem potentially harmful. Don't want to see that at all if it's avoidable.
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Injury prevention is key, no sense in causing bodily harm when we're out there for fun!
 
The only rule I "break" is the desert rule, usually a local rule here in AZ - one stroke penalty if your ball ends up in the desert and you can find it. Back on the fairway, about where the ball went out.
I try to play the ball down. I usually putt everything out, but not always.
If I drink too much, then I do not post to GHIN.
My buddies get pissed at me when they can't take mulligans on the back 9, only take stroke when they hit OB, and I don't improve my lie without taking a stroke.
Doesn't matter to me how they score, as long as nothing is on the line. If I improve my lie, or don't take a penalty when appropriate, it only hurts me.
 
I try to follow local rules regarding relief from cart paths, bunker rocks, and the like - most courses I play have those rules in place to give you relief from situations like that. But if it doesn't fall under a local rule, I have always played it straight, except where I feel I can't hit it without injuring myself or the club - in which case I take an unplayable.

Usually play gimmes on short putts to speed things up, unless I'm playing by myself and want to practice or the course is already godawful slow.
 
Spivey said:
The only rule I "break" is the desert rule, usually a local rule here in AZ - one stroke penalty if your ball ends up in the desert and you can find it. Back on the fairway, about where the ball went out.
I try to play the ball down. I usually putt everything out, but not always.
If I drink too much, then I do not post to GHIN.
My buddies get pissed at me when they can't take mulligans on the back 9, only take stroke when they hit OB, and I don't improve my lie without taking a stroke.
Doesn't matter to me how they score, as long as nothing is on the line. If I improve my lie, or don't take a penalty when appropriate, it only hurts me.
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A few years ago, when some buds and I were playing on a desert course out west, we saw a sign warning about rattlesnakes. While we didn't know there was a local desert rule, we made one of our own. When playing in some spots on the right coast, we also have the alligator drop.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Best 3.5 years of my life. Pledged ATO, lived in Wyman apts and played out of Indianola CC, great 9 hole track. Played all over the state and loved every minute of it.
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Not to totally detail this thread but did you ever make it to Crow Valley in Davenport?
 
UVaWahoo said:
A few years ago, when some buds and I were playing on a desert course out west, we saw a sign warning about rattlesnakes. While we didn't know there was a local desert rule, we made one of our own. When playing in some spots on the right coast, we also have the alligator drop.
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Okay, now that I can agree with. The anti-venom / lost limb drop.
 
Relaxed Rules of Golf

Relaxed Rules of Golf

On Morning Drive today the crew pushed out these seven relaxed rules and had Ted Bishop show his support. Here they are.

#1 Maximum score is double par
#2 Penalties are all one stroke
#3 Limit ball search to two minutes
#4 Improve unfortunate lies
#5 Conceded putts allowed
#6 No Equipment restrictions
#7 Use common sense

I think some of these have been used for quite a while now by a lot of golfers. I especially am interested in how the USGA will respond to #6. Personally I wish the Clubmakers would push the technology and for limits to the max and surpass the USGA limits since all that tech would help the majority of golfers. If the USGA were to back a set of relaxed rules this could give the Clubmakers the green light to do this, keeping my fingers crossed. For me all around I think these 7 are a great start. What do you think THPers? Great idea by the GC? Will this help grow the game? Anything you would add or take off to the list?
 
This should be a fun one. Popcorn is popping!
 
For casual (anything non-tournament, but including rounds you put in for handicap), I think many of us already do most of these.
I know at our course the vast majority do 1 (ESC score goes in for handicap), 3, 4 (Winter rules in August - Not a kind winter last year), 5, and, I hope, 7.

I can't get behind 6 completely. Some restrictions seem silly (putters), but a free for all just doesn't seem right to me.
For 2, if you hit a ball OB it's usually played as 2 strokes and drop if it isn't off the tee.

Not sure these would grow the game in any meaningful way, given that most people play by a version of them already...particularly if they're new golfers.
 
I'd rather see courses keep the rough lower to limit the ball searching times.

Regarding the equipment rules, I'd be just as happy if they left everything as-is and quit trying to reactively deal with every perceived problem that pops up.
 
My thought is if your just playing for fun hell why not go by those. I know I have played some clubs/balls/broke rules that weren't allowed by the USGA but I still had fun. So if your not really practicing and just out there to have a good time, do your own thing aslong as it doesn't hurt anyone or anything.
 
7) Really?? People can't use common sense in everyday life!!
 
rjb01camaross said:
On Morning Drive today the crew pushed out these seven relaxed rules and had Ted Bishop show his support. Here they are.

#1 Maximum score is double par
#2 Penalties are all one stroke
#3 Limit ball search to two minutes
#4 Improve unfortunate lies
#5 Conceded putts allowed
#6 No Equipment restrictions
#7 Use common sense

I think some of these have been used for quite a while now by a lot of golfers. I especially am interested in how the USGA will respond to #6. Personally I wish the Clubmakers would push the technology and for limits to the max and surpass the USGA limits since all that tech would help the majority of golfers. If the USGA were to back a set of relaxed rules this could give the Clubmakers the green light to do this, keeping my fingers crossed. For me all around I think these 7 are a great start. What do you think THPers? Great idea by the GC? Will this help grow the game? Anything you would add or take off to the list?
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1 - I prefer THPs 'max score triple'
2 - Not sure how relevant this one is, but I've had enough of the OB markers being stroke and distance. Make it a lateral hazard and the game goes faster and is more fun.
3 - hahahahahahahaha -- I'm sorry, I just don't see this happening. Too many 5 dollar balls get lost in the heather at my course.
4 - Agreed, in bunkers (plugged and bad rake jobs), as well as in divots. Everything else should be fair game.
5 - Not sure this makes sense. Gimmes within the leather of a putter seem to work well for my group.
6 - What does that mean? 25 clubs in a bag, or a non-conforming club? I kind of like the restrictions.
7 - for... what?
 
Canadan said:
1 - I prefer THPs 'max score triple'
2 - Not sure how relevant this one is, but I've had enough of the OB markers being stroke and distance. Make it a lateral hazard and the game goes faster and is more fun.
3 - hahahahahahahaha -- I'm sorry, I just don't see this happening. Too many 5 dollar balls get lost in the heather at my course.
4 - Agreed, in bunkers (plugged and bad rake jobs), as well as in divots. Everything else should be fair game.
5 - Not sure this makes sense. Gimmes within the leather of a putter seem to work well for my group.
6 - What does that mean? 25 clubs in a bag, or a non-conforming club? I kind of like the restrictions.
7 - for... what?
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For #6 that is what Charlie Rymer and Matt Ginella were saying. That you could have more than 14 clubs. I didn't hear them say anything about using an anchored stroke with the putter, but I would guess that could be included in #6
 
I'd be curious to know how many golfers outside of formal competition, follow the rules of golf to the letter. I would imagine that it's not very many.

I know that when I'm playing with my friends, we have gimme putts (usually 2-4ft range), and we don't force people to go back and re-tee if they happen to go OB, etc. Just things that help speed up play.
 
I play by those rules all year round, except the city tourney and the couple weeks before it.

~Rock
 
Mulligan9111 said:
I'd be curious to know how many golfers outside of formal competition, follow the rules of golf to the letter. I would imagine that it's not very many.

I know that when I'm playing with my friends, we have gimme putts (usually 2-4ft range), and we don't force people to go back and re-tee if they happen to go OB, etc. Just things that help speed up play.
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I'll agree with this. There have been some recent threads on how "rules" are followed/interpreted with some good debate in them.
 
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