Bifurcation of the Rules

[Templet0n]

Simple changes like the local adaptations suggested by USGA for OB or lost balls. Raking footprints and dropping from knee height in a bunker if a ball comes to rest in one. Playing out of a divot.

I'm sure there are a handful more but I don't have any more on hand right now.

Those are all perfect examples. I completely agree with a rule change on these. But does it need bifurcation? Or just an over all rule change?

As said, bifurcation in the form of individual adaptations for a club event to a pga tour major already kind of exist, and I am completely ok with. I just dont want two rule books. I hope this makes some kinda sense.

 

[Canadan]

Those are all perfect examples. I completely agree with a rule change on these. But does it need bifurcation? Or just an over all rule change? As said, bifurcation in the form of individual adaptations for a club event to a pga tour major already kind of exist, and I am completely ok with. I just dont want two rule books. I hope this makes some kinda sense.

I think for handicaps to be valid, having a singular system in place would be preferred, otherwise handicaps could vary course to course, thus negating their overall value. Plus, learning the local rules every time you alternate courses is asking a lot of a golfer when it really doesn't need to be that way.

Another sample I forgot about was changing 'hazards' to penalty areas, and allowing the club to be grounded. With that new rule applied, we created a local rule at our course that defines all heather (tall grass) areas as penalty areas. In the midwest we don't get the wispy grass we'd like, so lost balls are simply a reality. By using this rule, golfers can now drop just outside point of entry for the same penalty as they would typically have for finding and hitting out of that area (arguably a bit more punishing actually). This is dramatically different from the pro level, where they have an army of people hunting for their ball for them before they even get to the location the ball entered the grass.

Makes the game more enjoyable, reduces stress, and people spend less time hunting because the threat of stroke and distance is gone.

 

[Templet0n]

I think for handicaps to be valid, having a singular system in place would be preferred, otherwise handicaps could vary course to course, thus negating their overall value. Plus, learning the local rules every time you alternate courses is asking a lot of a golfer when it really doesn't need to be that way.

Another sample I forgot about was changing 'hazards' to penalty areas, and allowing the club to be grounded. With that new rule applied, we created a local rule at our course that defines all heather (tall grass) areas as penalty areas. In the midwest we don't get the wispy grass we'd like, so lost balls are simply a reality. By using this rule, golfers can now drop just outside point of entry for the same penalty as they would typically have for finding and hitting out of that area (arguably a bit more punishing actually). This is dramatically different from the pro level, where they have an army of people hunting for their ball for them before they even get to the location the ball entered the grass.

Makes the game more enjoyable, reduces stress, and people spend less time hunting because the threat of stroke and distance is gone.

Am totally ok with all of this. I think courses need to make individual adaptations to speed up play and simplify it for many that do not care about handicapping. I think of bifurcation as one rule book for pros and one for everyone else. I don't like that. Have one book, and adapt it to events, conditions, etc.

 

[Bucketsofjoy]

I think the rules are fine for amateur golfers. I do agree that there should probably be something in place to protect less than ideal conditions outside of our control. The PGA Tour does this with grandstand and other TIO relief, right? We should have a similar provision for unraked bunkers and other situations mentioned above. Using common sense to make those decisions on your own is fine with me, but I know others are uncomfortable “breaking” the rules.

I wish the PGA Tour would put their own rule in place limiting the top of the bag (something similar to the 460cc restriction but pick a much smaller number for them.)Then we can maybe stop hearing about how golf is too easy and distance is evil.

Also, you don’t have to play by the rules. Go out, have a good time, and be respectful of others. So long as you’re honest with handicapped competitive play, who cares if you wipe your ball on the green or play a surlyn ball off the tee and save the urethanes for approaches and putts.

 

[InTheRough]

Most amateurs bifurcate the rules already. I love the new rules - the ability to drop out of a bunker with a 2 stroke penalty, dropping on the fairway with a 2 stroke penalty for a lost ball or OB instead of making the walk of shame, putting with the flagstick in. But the rule I don't like is the anchored putting stroke rule. That was put into effect because Adam Scott won a couple of tournaments using it. If you're not playing in tournaments or for money, play however you want. Just know that if you drop the ball out of a divot on the fairway without taking a penalty, I'll call you on it in a money match after you hit the ball - loss of hole. If we're playing for fun and you do that I won't care.

Also, if you don't have time to play 18 holes, play 9. More courses need to have 9 hole rates. I think they're catching on. I love going out and walking 9 holes.

 

[BuckNasty]

dropping on the fairway with a 2 stroke penalty for a lost ball or OB instead of making the walk of shame

Just an FYI - this is a local rule, not a universal rule. Your course needs to have this rule in effect in order to use it to your advantage. Which is a pain in the ass if you play at different courses and need to know the local rules for each.

 

[Templet0n]

Just an FYI - this is a local rule, not a universal rule. Your course needs to have this rule in effect in order to use it to your advantage. Which is a pain in the ass if you play at different courses and need to know the local rules for each.

All penalty drops should be lateral. The stroke and distance thing needs to die.

 

[oumagic]

The best part about this, is how this rule has already been suggested as a local rule for courses to adopt. They are already making the necessary changes to make golf more enjoyable and eliminate a potential walk of shame that no one wants to do haha

The problem I have with the ob rule is the penalty and that it is not a rule at every course. Most of the guys I play with hit another off the tee even if they are allowed to drop in the fairway laying 3. If they hit a 100 yard duck hook ob on a 400 yard par 4, they are not dropping 300 yards out and hitting their 4th stroke. They would rather gamble that they will hit a good 2nd shot and be laying 3 closer to the hole.

OB is my biggest complaint with rules for amateur golfers and second is playing out of crappy bunkers that aren’t raked. I want no more ob anywhere; take a one stroke penalty and drop in the fairway. I don’t need to see someone take a 9 on a hole and take the extra time to play the hole due to ob and then write down a 7 due to ESC anyway.

 

[JonMA1]

no. i have playing golf for a couple decades, and never once have i talked to someone who said “golf is fun, but i quit because there are too many rules.”

people quit because the game is hard. it can be expensive. and it can take a very long time.

I agree with this for the most part. I'd guess the majority of golfers bastardize the rules anyway. The rules are complicated, no doubt and I'm sure it has at least some affect. But leagues and casual golfers simplify them quite often.

I think it's the difficulty of the game, the cost of equipment and greens fees, and the crowded courses combined with slow play that push more folks away much more than do the rules.

 

[5150]

I feel like the handicap system already addresses the talent gap. I don’t see how separate rule sets would do anything that the handicap system isn’t already doing, and, as others have said, I feel like different rule sets are already informally negotiated on the first tee - why try to formalize that? What’s the benefit?

 

[tequila4kapp]

I guess I don't have a problem with it but figuring out how to find a cut off would be extremely difficult. I kind of like that we all play by the same rules though, it's the one thing we have in common with the pros.

I would like to add that regardless of your level I vote for free drops from fairway divots!!!

But we don't play by the same rules. They can't have range finders, we can. We can ride carts, they have to walk. We can wear shorts, they must wear slacks.

 

[tequila4kapp]

I feel like the handicap system already addresses the talent gap. I don’t see how separate rule sets would do anything that the handicap system isn’t already doing, and, as others have said, I feel like different rule sets are already informally negotiated on the first tee - why try to formalize that? What’s the benefit?

Equipment.

 

[JB]

Equipment.

Nailed it. The groove rule really is the perfect example.

 

[MattyD-MPLS]

After all these years of having the same rules, it would be very hard to find a division where the new rules do or don’t apply.
Isn’t a lot of bifurcation talk centered around equipment?

 

[Golf Ghost]

But we don't play by the same rules. They can't have range finders, we can. We can ride carts, they have to walk. We can wear shorts, they must wear slacks.

I sort of forgot about those things, yet it's so obviously true.

 

[JB]

After all these years of having the same rules, it would be very hard to find a division where the new rules do or don’t apply.
Isn’t a lot of bifurcation talk centered around equipment?

Yup and it seems a great place to start.

 

[LSMO]

I don’t think 99% of golfers play by the rules anyways. Even the men’s associations I’ve been in have their own “local rules” that are far more relax. I’ve played a lot of rounds paired up with folks I don’t know and can only remember a few that absolute followed the rules.

 

[MattyD-MPLS]

Yup and it seems a great place to start.

Roll the ball back 10% and see where it sits. Also test the 3 woods and hybrids to make sure they are under the limit too, not just the drivers.

 

[robrandalgz]

Purists will say no of course but I think for me it comes down to specifics. It would really depend on which rules are different and how are they different.

This. ^^^^

But could people not be taking it up to begin with, because the rules are vast, they hop onto a tee box because that is what the pros play from, etc.

Most people that I try to drag into the game (SIL, boss, neighbor) never cite the rules as a deterrent to learning to play the game. Cost to get started (equipment), time needed to invest to be decent, and cost to actually play are the biggest arguments I get from people that aren't interested in the deep dive.

i don’t think so. i think the barriers to entry are how much gear you need to step on the course (clubs, shoes, tees, gloves, etc), how long it takes to have a halfway decent game to play an enjoyable round, and how long a round can take.

Yep.

Here's a slight change of pace.. How about instead of changing the rules for amateurs, we ADD some (stick with me here).

So, if someone decides to be a turd and not rake the bunker or fill their divots, they get penalized a couple strokes as a tax for douchery. Obviously not the perfect solution for casual play, but in a tournament, it significantly reduces the likelihood of playing out someone else's mess.

@OITW and I touched on this type of thing the other day. He made the pretty strong argument of "who's going to enforce it"? If an a**hole isn't going to rake a bunker or fix a ball mark. He sure as hell isn;t going to call a penalty on himself.

I already bifurcate the rules. Casual play on the weekends with my wife and kids features mulligans and redoing putts and kicking my wife's ball into the fairway and general fun.

Life's too short to let the USGA steal my fun.

And this is what, I assume a large percentage of golfers do this already.

So I have a question for those in favor of a bifurcation of the rules: What if nothing changes for us but things only change for tour players. You still a fan?

 

[OGputtnfool]

Boxing - amatuer boxing and professional boxing have different number of rounds, different lengths of rounds, and different equipment allowed.

So, you want to play less holes, shorter distances, and use less clubs? Sounds fine.

 

[Templet0n]

Yup and it seems a great place to start.

Are you in favor of a equipment roll back for pros?

 

[JB]

Are you in favor of a equipment roll back for pros?

For all equipment? Not necessarily. But I’m 100% not in favor of the decisions for 25 million golfers being done because 100 are getting too good.

 

[BuckNasty]

So, you want to play less holes, shorter distances, and use less clubs? Sounds fine.

Enjoy the forum

 

[zbeekner4]

Absolutely. The first Rule for amateurs I’d get rid of is out of bounds/lost balls. Everything should be lateral hazards. Makes sense for pace but also watching a guy walk back to the tee to hit again is the worst.

 

[CanaryKid]

Keep the rules the same for all ... but have bifurcation for equipment.