Golf is a game of tradition, what should change or stay the same?

MattyD-MPLS

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Golf is a grand game and has a lot of very good traditions! There are some that should go away.

I love how "most" golfers will police themselves on the rules.

Pace of play is another hot button! Enforce it or leave it alone?

What tradition would you like to see continue or go away forever?
 
almost every one of the traditions should stay imho. i love pretty much all of them.

the biggest thing i would like to change is the perception of gender on the course. i can only think of a few times i've run into racist comments on the course, but nonstop i hear sexist comments about how slow women play, basically lamenting that they are even allowed on the course.
 
Tradition is good. I know it has been beat to death, but I would like to see the pin issue changed back. Take the stick out for putting so there is no issues.
 
McLovin;n8883125 said:
almost every one of the traditions should stay imho. i love pretty much all of them.

the biggest thing i would like to change is the perception of gender on the course. i can only think of a few times i've run into racist comments on the course, but nonstop i hear sexist comments about how slow women play, basically lamenting that they are even allowed on the course.

The woman I have had the pleasure of playing with get up and hit it!
 
Snickerdog;n8883143 said:
Tradition is good. I know it has been beat to death, but I would like to see the pin issue changed back. Take the stick out for putting so there is no issues.

Agreed. It causes a weird dynamic if one person wants it in all the time in a 4-some.
 
McLovin;n8883125 said:
almost every one of the traditions should stay imho. i love pretty much all of them.

the biggest thing i would like to change is the perception of gender on the course. i can only think of a few times i've run into racist comments on the course, but nonstop i hear sexist comments about how slow women play, basically lamenting that they are even allowed on the course.

Amen brother. There are many beautiful and traditional things about golf that I adore and uphold, but oof it would be nice for this “tradition” to go.
 
I am one that believes in tradition. Yet, the one that I usually don’t play in golf is honor off the tee.

Generally, I play ready golf. If you are ready to hit go right ahead and hit away.


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Id personally like to see the game go back to wound balls, persimmon woods and blades only. Modern gear takes some of the skill out of the game. Every time I play my persimmon woods and blade irons from the 1930s (Spaldings with pyratone shafts) Im reminded of how amazing today's gear really is.
Im also old-fashioned in that I think golf is a game that should be played walking, music should not be allowed on the course and jeans are expressly forbidden on the course.
 
I think OB should be treated like any other hazard. Its too penal for us mid to high cappers.
 
badolds;n8884606 said:
I think OB should be treated like any other hazard. Its too penal for us mid to high cappers.

I really like that! Red hazards everywhere! And yes I like hazard better than penalty area!
 
I'd say 99% of the time anyone invokes "tradition" it's because they're trying to justify something with no actual benefit or reason for being. If "tradition" is the only argument in favor of something, then it is almost certainly something that needs to go away.
 
mtcowdog;n8883762 said:
Golf doesn't feel very traditional when I see these on the course.

That thing needs to be set on fire like it is a cockroach or spider.
 
Snickerdog;n8883143 said:
Tradition is good. I know it has been beat to death, but I would like to see the pin issue changed back. Take the stick out for putting so there is no issues.

I think the only issues are the ones that are purposely made. I, personally, prefer the pin in on longish putts. If I intend to hole it, I'll remove it... most of the time. That being said, if someone pulls it, I'm not anal enough to make them put it back before I putt.
 
Badger_Golfer;n8883713 said:
...golf is a game that should be played walking, music should not be allowed on the course and jeans are expressly forbidden on the course.

THIS! 100x THIS!
 
OGputtnfool;n8885403 said:
THIS! 100x THIS!

I really enjoy music while I am playing golf but I have never had a speaker where others can hear it. If I play by myself or practice, I have my Bluetooth headphones in usually.
 
MattyDMPLS;n8885412 said:
I really enjoy music while I am playing golf but I have never had a speaker where others can hear it. If I play by myself or practice, I have my Bluetooth headphones in usually.

I can live with that. I just don't like it when I can hear other people's noise. If you can play with headphones in, more power to ya. The only music I need to hear on the course is the occasional music my irons make when I pure one.
 
OGputtnfool;n8885403 said:
THIS! 100x THIS!

I mean, its never going to happen. Walking only would limit the people who play a course (some people are lazy or simply cant walk due to a range of physical ailments), theres no way to police music (I mean, all you have to do is turn it off when you see the ranger go by and then crank it back up once they leave).
I suppose no jeans you could police though and it seems like unless its a muni, most do.
 
Stemmy66;n8886227 said:
OB should be a lateral hazard....

Completely agree! No need to retee. Most times it quite penal to drop where it goes out of bounds!
 
MattyDMPLS;n8886242 said:
Completely agree! No need to retee. Most times it quite penal to drop where it goes out of bounds!

I’m used to playing along that boundary so I’m used to it...


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I keep hearing this more and more lately, "The Traditions of the Game" or the "Traditions of golf".

If golf doesn't look out they are going to get passed by other sports.

I'll speak to football and basketball as I know them better, but both of those sports have changed over time, improved, changed rules, etc. Some the public agrees with and others not, but even look at rules about the shoes NBA could or couldn't wear previously, now they can wear whatever they want and the shoe industry is flourishing even more. Yet pro golfers still must wear pants, I could probably go one or quite some time on little examples and comparisons.

Come on golf, modernize!
 
I'd say 99% of the time anyone invokes "tradition" it's because they're trying to justify something with no actual benefit or reason for being. If "tradition" is the only argument in favor of something, then it is almost certainly something that needs to go away.
I agree with this. There are many things about golf that should never change, but it's not because of tradition, it's because they are great without needing to appeal to tradition. The flagstick is a great example. It only relied on tradition and now that the rule has changed 99% of people don't care whether it's in or out. OB is another one. It's a tradition that no one even plays anymore. I haven't played in any group since high school golf matches that has played OB as stroke and distance. Even in tournaments they make a local rule for lateral hazard. It's like the OB rule is so stupid the tradition has become to skirt that rule ?.
 
I keep hearing this more and more lately, "The Traditions of the Game" or the "Traditions of golf".

If golf doesn't look out they are going to get passed by other sports.

I'll speak to football and basketball as I know them better, but both of those sports have changed over time, improved, changed rules, etc. Some the public agrees with and others not, but even look at rules about the shoes NBA could or couldn't wear previously, now they can wear whatever they want and the shoe industry is flourishing even more. Yet pro golfers still must wear pants, I could probably go one or quite some time on little examples and comparisons.

Come on golf, modernize!
Football people saying it's a tradition to bang heads kill me. Sure that was fun to watch, but it's not worth seeing the players commit suicide or get alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease in their 50's to keep the tradition alive.
 
almost every one of the traditions should stay imho. i love pretty much all of them.

the biggest thing i would like to change is the perception of gender on the course. i can only think of a few times i've run into racist comments on the course, but nonstop i hear sexist comments about how slow women play, basically lamenting that they are even allowed on the course.

This. Half of my golf buddies are women. They are fantastic golfers, even if two of them purposefully bug me with their cigar smoking. About 40% of the players I see are women. I’ve never seen a woman drive a cart over a green, threaten me because I asked to play through, break a club and storm off the course, talk while others hit, not fix a ball mark, or play so slow that I outlined a science proposal while waiting. Male golfers have done all of those things and much more.

Love golf’s playing traditions. I would love to see golf keep them, including many of the quirky rules.
 
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