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Bifurcation of the Rules

I also think the vast majority of golfers (excluding many on this forum) don’t really know or play by the rules right now. People fluff their lies, take mulligans, play white stakes as hazards, roll the ball in the fairway, don’t know where to drop when the ball goes in a water hazard, etc...
 
I I am on for some type of bifurcation of the rules, but I have no idea where it should be at. I am kinda of falling in with @Canadan on this thought process in this.
 
Different rules would be great, I'd love it to trickle down to equipment as well.
 
I have no problem with it.
 
Rules? Golf has rules? At most we follow only about 50% of the rules, but we just play for fun not money.
 
One line that should be discussed too is the line with what sort of rules should in bifurcated? Clearly the foot on bunker is in the rules for the masses. But would you say cow path golf track permit improved lies no matter what?

breakfast ball / mulligans?
 
I’m 100% in favor of bifurcated rules. No matter how much Nicklaus and others are hung up on the nastalgia of the idea, we are NOT playing the same game as the pros, it is a stupid fallacy that persists through the power of personality of past greats. Further, as a matter of principle, it’s just stupid to think we can keep the technology genie in the bottle. The masses need access to as much tech as possible.
 
McLovin said:
ahhh that’s a great point. i never thought about equipment specific rules. again not a barrier to entry, but having amateur rules that open up innovation makes a lot of sense.
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But don’t we have that now? There’s nothing stopping you from greasing your driver face or playing an Indi wedge with insane grooves. Granted...the big OEMs aren’t making a ton of non-legal gear, but is that likely to change just because amateurs can now “legally“ play it?
 
A different set makes sense, I am just not sure how to go about it or where to start. There is the obvious rules, but then some lesser rules that make sense regardless of skill level.
 
dazeedmonds said:
But don’t we have that now? There’s nothing stopping you from greasing your driver face or playing an Indi wedge with insane grooves. Granted...the big OEMs aren’t making a ton of non-legal gear, but is that likely to change just because amateurs can now “legally“ play it?
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But if the big OEMs don’t make these “non-legal” equipment would the general public even accept the different rules? I just don’t think they would. And making two sets of rules would change the amount of technology money needed for research and development. Plus, a ton of new skus that make it even more difficult for both the OEMs and box stores with limited space for products.

Just imagine how many golf balls would be out there if both legal and non-legal would generally sold by all companies?
 
I think there is something to this. In many other sports, the rules differ slightly amongst each league or division. For instance in hockey, kids aren’t allowed to body check until a certain age, and then as the leagues progress (and even between countries) there are small variances such as the size of the ice surface, or what constitutes a penalty.
If golf could be simplified for the average golfer,I bet it could be enjoyed by more people.
And if a group wanted to play by the “pro” rules, that could still happen.
 
MWard said:
Where do you go from amateur rules to professional rules?
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Wouldn't this question answer itself? The rules bifurcation would be between amateur events to professional events right?
 
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!!!
 
BuckNasty said:
Wouldn't this question answer itself? The rules bifurcation would be between amateur events to professional events right?
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This is gonna sound snarky, and I apologize in advance cause it's not meant to. What would you call the rules in the US Amateur then?
 
Absolutely let’s start the movement!!!
 
KEV said:
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!!!
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I think one of the biggest issues with a conversation like this is how dramatic people tend to be when you start talking about the differences. So basically, because there's a different rule set, suddenly we need to change 60-80% of the rules.

To me, it's not necessary. Look at the smaller elements of golf that differentiate the pro experience from the amateur experience, and find common ground to where amateurs enjoy the same kind of experience with a slightly adapted way of getting there.
 
dazeedmonds said:
But don’t we have that now? There’s nothing stopping you from greasing your driver face or playing an Indi wedge with insane grooves. Granted...the big OEMs aren’t making a ton of non-legal gear, but is that likely to change just because amateurs can now “legally“ play it?
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nobody will buy it. some small oems are already making illegal products. and i don’t think they’re making any splash whatsoever.
 
MWard said:
This is gonna sound snarky, and I apologize in advance cause it's not meant to. What would you call the rules in the US Amateur then?
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If you want to bifurcate rules for amateurs and professionals, the rules for amateurs would be applied to the US Am (or any Amateur event) if we went down this road.
 
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.
 
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.
 
BuckNasty said:
If you want to bifurcate rules for amateurs and professionals, the rules for amateurs would be applied to the US Am (or any Amateur event) if we went down this road.
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That's fair. See to me, events like that which the winners play in major championships, I would have sided with them having to play the professional set of rules.

I think if they just added some situational rules, it would help things a long way. You get into a bunker and someone didn't rake it, rake and drop. Not place, drop. Still gives hesitation to people who are just gonna say every bunker isn't raked and kinda get overly sketchy.

The ball in a divot one will always be a total POS move by the USGA in not allowing that to be ground under repair, and you just move it one clubhead nearest point of relief. I mean come on man.. Guy takes 5-6 practice swings every time because he sees the pros taking practice swings, and Steepy McSteepFace doesn't just brush the ground, he takes pelts? 2:1 odds Mike Davis is that guy.
 
There's no need. No one is forcing anyone to play by the rules. If they wanna play golf, then play. If they wanna play something else, then that's fine, too.
 
OGputtnfool said:
There's no need. No one is forcing anyone to play by the rules. If they wanna play golf, then play. If they wanna play something else, then that's fine, too.
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So are you saying playing High School Football is not playing football because it is not the same rules as the NFL?
 
BuckNasty said:
So are you saying playing High School Football is not playing football because it is not the same rules as the NFL?
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Yep, that's exactly what I said. Word for word.
 
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