Make Golf Easier with One Adjustment or Rule Change

[Hawk]

And who said I wanted to ruin the game for the rest of us? I said I thought difficulty was part of the allure of the game. I just stated that there are ways to make it more accessible for other people. We have exactly one pitch and putt and zero 'par 3' courses here. I see absolutely zero negatives in finding creative ways to enhance the game a bit for certain people on existing courses. Whether that's a new set of tee boxes that present a distance that certain people can actually play a game resembling ours from or a second hole in an easier spot that's a little larger. Where is the downside there?

 

[Fourputt]

And who said I wanted to ruin the game for the rest of us? I said I thought difficulty was part of the allure of the game. I just stated that there are ways to make it more accessible for other people. We have exactly one pitch and putt and zero 'par 3' courses here. I see absolutely zero negatives in finding creative ways to enhance the game a bit for certain people on existing courses. Whether that's a new set of tee boxes that present a distance that certain people can actually play a game resembling ours from or a second hole in an easier spot that's a little larger. Where is the downside there?

Try this. A friend of mine started his son out when he was about 10 years old. The friend didn't want to spend his only playing time on the par 3 course, so he played the 18 hole course with us, and brought his son along most Sunday's. The boy started out teeing up at the 100 yard marker. As he got more comfortable, he moved back to 150 yards, then 200, and eventually he was playing from the forward tees. His dad taught him to play the game right, playing the ball as it lay and how to make correct drops, and the boy had a blast out playing with the "men". Last time I saw him he was a junior in high school and still having fun playing the game as he was taught to by us.

There are options other than making drastic changes to a course.

 

[Hawk]

That's a fine way to teach a kid, but I really don't think adding a teebox and cutting an extra hole are drastic changes. There are courses that toss another set of tee boxes out there for the First Tee.

Just can't see the harm in making the game more accessible to certain people.

 

[tequila4kapp]

If it could only be one change I'd vote for more space between tee times. I think the resulting lack of congestion would make the golfing experience, on average, much better.

 

[Smallville]

Definitely lateral drops for OB. It would save strokes and time for a lot of people.

Only if you are hitting four, not three. Your third would have been off the tee box anyway, so for a lost ball or OB shot, it's not fair to everyone else to be hitting three from wherever you drop.

I agree. And shorter tee boxes than the standard 'ladies' tees. A great deal of ladies I play with are outdistanced by 5,000 yard courses.

Our course remodel is doing this by adding a fifth tee box to the holes. Not all of them, but most of them will have five separate tee boxes. It's not a long course anyway (6,000 yards) but it looks like the front tees will now be about 4,000 yards or so.


As far as divots being Ground Under Repair, I can't remember the last time I hit into one, so I don't think it's that big a deal. It really only sucks when it lands in the front of the divot, not so much on the back part of the divot. If you make divots GUR, then you run into the is it a divot, is it not a divot, argument.

I'd be all for raking traps and recreating the lie (minus footprints, etc.). If it's plugged, recreate a plugged lie. If it's a fried egg, recreate a fried egg. If it would have been unplayable (stuck in the side), rake if necessary and take a drop under the unplayable rule if you aren't dropping where your previous shot was.

 

[Hawk]

I tend to think of bunkers as a penalizing situation, so I've never felt like we were entitled to a good lie there. I do understand the frustration of poor raking though.

 

[TripleBogieTim]

I like the ground under repair rules and the OB rule

 

[ddec]

That's a fine way to teach a kid, but I really don't think adding a teebox and cutting an extra hole are drastic changes. There are courses that toss another set of tee boxes out there for the First Tee.

Just can't see the harm in making the game more accessible to certain people.

I don't think it's a big deal either. Remember some of those par 3's at True Blue? If you hit it in the water they had a drop area that was right next to the greens that they would move depending on the hole location. Couldn't that be argued that it was done to make the game easier for people? I wouldn't say it was a drastic change and yet it was certainly welcome to all those who found the water. Adding a teeing area doesn't even need to be a big change, you can just set up 2 markers in the fairway.

 

[Fourputt]

I tend to think of bunkers as a penalizing situation, so I've never felt like we were entitled to a good lie there. I do understand the frustration of poor raking though.

Rakes weren't even in widespread use until the 1960's. They were used by maintenance staff on some courses starting in the 1920's, usually of a type which made wide furrows, and often only a couple of times a week. They weren't left near the bunkers for golfers to rake with until 40 years later.

This article gives some information on the history of the rake as it pertains to golf - Raking

 

[golfinFF]

Its not a rule change but a course change and having tee boxes rated for scores would help(ala Pipestone). I know a lot of people still wouldn't play from the best tees for them but I think a few more would if the tees had a score rating to them.

I wouldn't mind seeing two pins on the greens easier and tougher. I know some courses around me can be brutal with some of their pins. If this does happen I think the course needs to advise that red is the tougher pin and yellow is the easier pin or what ever colors they choose.

I like the lateral drop on OB from the tee and taking the strokes(+2) if thats the way you choose to play. Divots,dead and muddy spots should be played as GUR.

I honestly think for more enjoyment and faster play the courses should out out something similar to the original 13 rules for the casual golfer.

 

[gts1982]

I personally find the fact that golf is so hard one of the reasons I like to play so much, when you have a good round it is rewarding. Do I play by all the rules as they are written, not always but I am fair. I think it isn't a big deal to adjust rules slightly to make it more enjoyable and keep pace up. I don't take a free drop whenever I want and I do e play a bunch of mulligans but maybe one per nine or what not. I keep it challenging but I am not a tour pro either.

 

[Smallville]

Two holes is an interesting thing, and I saw that for the first time in my only round I have played so far this year. One in the front and one in the back. The purpose was to put the pin the the other hole when you got there to putt, to spread the wear around. (This time of year play is down, so there aren't as many people out there). I had to let the group ahead of us know that that is what they wee supposed to do, and it was a group of course workers who should have known! (We were told to move the flag when we checked in)

 

[v.man]

I once played regularly at a course where they filled in all the fairway bunkers with grass. This sped up play and made it a little easier. Course was still pretty darn tough.

On another note, my current private club, until recently, had no out of bounds anywhere on the course. There were some red staked areas along some of the thickly wooded areas which were there mostly to speed up play. Along comes a USGA rules guy who moves into our neighborhood and now we have out of bounds all over the course. I know he was right in his recommendations. Some of those red staked areas were not true hazards. But, the result is about 30 minutes more on a typical round of golf.

 

[IceyShanks]

Definitely lateral drops for OB. It would save strokes and time for a lot of people.

I think this would not only make it easier but speed play a ton, especially at my home course!

 

[Drumdog]

I like the idea on the lateral OB drop, but my #1 rule change would be the divot in the fairway drop. That should be considered ground under repair or unusual damage.

 

[IceyShanks]

Definitely lateral drops for OB. It would save strokes and time for a lot of people.

I think this would not only make it easier but speed play a ton, especially at my home course!

 

[darnall]

Lateral drops here...how many casual players actually go back to the tee when they find their ball OB anyway? I sure the hell don't, especially if the course is crowded.

 

[dleavitt39]

I like both the OB lateral drop, and the drop from a divot. However, to keep the game "harder" I don't agree with a larger cup or widened courses. We still need the challenge of the course itself, but the 2 I mention are ones that are great for pace of play, and not losing oodles of money on lost balls.

Dan

 

[v.man]

I like the idea on the lateral OB drop, but my #1 rule change would be the divot in the fairway drop. That should be considered ground under repair or unusual damage.

I would add footprint in the bunker drop as well. Because some idiot is too freaking lazy to rake the trap doesn't mean you should have to hit out of a footprint.

 

[Fourputt]

I like the idea on the lateral OB drop, but my #1 rule change would be the divot in the fairway drop. That should be considered ground under repair or unusual damage.

What is unusual about a divot on a golf course? :eyepoke:

 

[Ndfan301]

I play a lot of casual rounds. In fact most of them are as casual as can be. The main course I play back home, so casual it's a t-shirt and shorts lol.

Now I don't know every single rule in the rulebook, but I know enough that if I were to enter a tournament and have to follow them, I'd know what to do. But in my casual rounds I don't play by winter rules, and overall, my casual rounds follow mostly every rule. Off the top of my head, the only one broken is the lateral drop for OB. I personally don't find the rules all the terribly hard to follow, and if you can put it into the fairway a lot or everytime, you more than likely won't have a rules violation.

I for one am against making the hole bigger or having 2 holes per green. Especially with 2, if you over shoot your mark for the smaller hole, and accidentally end up in the 2nd one, then what happens? And making the hole bigger to me would be dumbing it down, at least a tad bit. I, and anyone else who played while little, grew up with the hole the size it is. They practiced with that size. Anyone who is a first timer knows it's that size, really no need to make it bigger.

IMO, the bad side to golf (can't believe I typed those words) is the pace of play and length of a round. I'd work on making a round faster (Maybe 3.5 for 18 to become the new normal) rather than making it easier for every single person.

If you make it easier for everyone, then the people that want to improve, will have a very hard time improving, and the 12 year old with PGA tour dreams, or the beginner who want's to someday shoot for a 70 won't have the same enjoyment. Dreams like that have to be worked hard for, and not just given to them by making it easier. Example: Growing up I always wanted to shoot the scores my dad, grandpa, and uncle shot. They were mid 80's players and I was 100's or 110's. Yea, they could of sliced or hit 8 iron the entire round, but if they did and I beat them, it wouldn't be the same as if they were playing normally.

 

[rollin]

I guess I'm just never going to understand the integrity arguement. It's just a game for most people. Whatever makes it more fun, do it. Scrambles are great fun, but that format is not covered under the rules of golf. Do they make the game lose integrity? The rules are meant to promote fair play in serious competition. That's why there are so many of them, to try and cover any situation that may come up in a competition round. It wouldn't make much sense and would be confusing to have separate rules for recreational rounds but it doesn't hurt the game at all IMO to bend them or even ignore some of them when needed.

When I mention losing integrity It was more referring to my first post. Not so much about the rules but more about those who may wish to change the dificulty of the courses by removing trees, widening fairways, making doglegs non troublesome, having less or no hazards,. Thats more what i meant about when it can lose integrity. Changing a rule here or there is something I would be in agreement with to a degree. I think there could be some rule changes for amateurs vs pro's and changing rule or two may help lower a score a bit but doesnt eliminate the challange of having to try to make good hits. Thats a big difference between the two IMO.

When we should hit a drive off the fairway and 10 feet into the wood or weeds, Its one thing (with a rule change) to say hey, just drop one, take one stroke and move on vs eliminating troubles (by removing the woods or weeds all together) and always be able to just play on with no penalty at all no matter where one may hit the ball. Thats where the losing integrity part comes in IMO.

To exaggerate the point - If one desires to play on a very forgiving wide open and short course with very little trouble and also not much challange with doglegs, hazards etc in order for the game to be more fun then perhaps like someone mentioned it can be done by just playing a pitch and putt, a par3 course, or an executive style course etc... Otherwise a golf course will lose integrity. One my muni home courses had removed two trees from two shorter par4 doglegs several years back and it really took away from the golf course as a whole. Some people are like "great, you can drive the corner now" and I feel as though its not great because it downgraded the course.

If I'm gonna try to cut over or around a dogleg then I should be penalized for not doing it good or I'll decide to just dont do it and take the safer route. But to just give it away by removing trees has something to be said for loss of integrity of a golf course. Its also much more rewarding when one does decide to go for it and makes it vs being given the darn thing by removing the challange.

I can agree with change of rule with some things to a degree but not making courses too easy. Two different things IMO.

 

[Shankosaurus]

Don't people hit provisional balls any more? If you pump 2 out, ok, drop lateral. It shouldn't take too long to hit another ball off the tee.

I'm not in favor of the divot rule or raking the traps either. Some things are just bad luck, like in life, and we just have to deal with them.

I would like to restrict cart usage, but I know that's not going to happen. IMHO, that is what really slows down play. I almost never see anyone take a couple of clubs and walk to their ball while their cartmate is hitting their shot. Half of the time, it looks like a Keystone Kops movie out there with all the carts buzzing around.

 

[Kobey]

When I mention losing integrity It was more referring to my first post. Not so much about the rules but more about those who may wish to change the dificulty of the courses by removing trees, widening fairways, making doglegs non troublesome, having less or no hazards,. Thats more what i meant about when it can lose integrity. Changing a rule here or there is something I would be in agreement with to a degree. I think there could be some rule changes for amateurs vs pro's and changing rule or two may help lower a score a bit but doesnt eliminate the challange of having to try to make good hits. Thats a big difference between the two IMO.

When we should hit a drive off the fairway and 10 feet into the wood or weeds, Its one thing (with a rule change) to say hey, just drop one, take one stroke and move on vs eliminating troubles (by removing the woods or weeds all together) and always be able to just play on with no penalty at all no matter where one may hit the ball. Thats where the losing integrity part comes in IMO.

To exaggerate the point - If one desires to play on a very forgiving wide open and short course with very little trouble and also not much challange with doglegs, hazards etc in order for the game to be more fun then perhaps like someone mentioned it can be done by just playing a pitch and putt, a par3 course, or an executive style course etc... Otherwise a golf course will lose integrity. One my muni home courses had removed two trees from two shorter par4 doglegs several years back and it really took away from the golf course as a whole. Some people are like "great, you can drive the corner now" and I feel as though its not great because it downgraded the course.

If I'm gonna try to cut over or around a dogleg then I should be penalized for not doing it good or I'll decide to just dont do it and take the safer route. But to just give it away by removing trees has something to be said for loss of integrity of a golf course. Its also much more rewarding when one does decide to go for it and makes it vs being given the darn thing by removing the challange.

I can agree with change of rule with some things to a degree but not making courses too easy. Two different things IMO.

OK, that makes sense to me. I agree with you, even though I'm not very good, I still love to play courses with a lot of challenges and terrain features. If I don't have at least one hole where I have to carry some water, I feel cheated. I guess I'm not one of those people that gets frustrated by a hard course, though I do like to play an easier one on occasion just to make me feel better about myself.

 

[Perkins Rooster]

I think all the ideas other than expanded cup sizes are worth consideration. I think in general they make courses too long in an effort to aviod becoming 'obsolete' as they are anticpating the top tier golfers getting longer and longer off the tee.