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Do Average Golfers Even Care if the Pros Play By the Same Rules??

RNG

RNG

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Personally, I do not. They are so much better than the average guy that they are not really playing the same game as I am anyway. In addition, I want to have fun playing the game and enjoying the company I'm with!!!!

How about you???
 
I have always voted for one set of Rules for the Pro's & another set for the Hacks like us.
 
I have to assume the vast majority of amateur golfers are not abiding by the rules anyway so it would seem to me bifurcation is an endeavour without purpose.
 
fupresti said:
I have to assume the vast majority of amateur golfers are not abiding by the rules anyway so it would seem to me bifurcation is an endeavour without purpose.
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What he said...only he said it much more eloquently!
 
If you are talking about a limited ball for pros I don't like it. If you are talking about the ability to use local rules to use or not use for tournaments for the PGA but never for ams that is fine with me.
 
Same general rules for everyone regardless of ability. That’s what makes golf great.


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Not in the slightest. they play in such vastly different conditions there is no point.
 
fupresti said:
I have to assume the vast majority of amateur golfers are not abiding by the rules anyway so it would seem to me bifurcation is an endeavour without purpose.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I feel like we're already bifurcated in the way we practice the rules. If they made a separate set of rules for amateurs, I think most casual golfers would follow the rules they like and ignore the ones they don't like - which is pretty much exactly how it is now. You don't have to go out and play by the rules to enjoy your round.

Apart from that it would complicate things with the USGA championships.
 
fupresti has it right IMO. I'm OK if a club or a group decides to play by local rules for pace or enjoyment purposes but I don't see the need to officially have two sets of rules. Most ams are playing lose with many of the rules now anyway. I'm also OK if some rules were officially changed, so long as the official rules were the same for everyone.
 
I care but I may be the exception in the mindset of amateurs.
 
I've always advocated for a rules set difference for pros vs amateurs. It's one of few sports that does not have a differing rule set.
 
Objectively speaking, we should play by different rules.

For pros:

-perfect firm fairways where drivers roll out 30-40 yards
-never lose your ball cause fans will locate it for you
-greens in perfect condition
-fans will even help you move big boulders out for the way for you
-have perfect equipment all the time
-golf is their job 24/7
-last but not least, they have insane skills and club head speed
-they actually know the rules of golf(usually)
-they are usually not drunk while golfing
-they are hitting wedge into the green and you are hitting 6 iron
 
The average player doesn’t play by the same rules as the pros. I see it every time I tee it up, people just tend to disregard most of the rules.


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I've been slowly coming around on this but I think last week sealed the deal for me. When 2 middling tour pros fire a course record on two of the most iconic venues in golf it's time to dial back the ball for professional golfers. IMO there's too many great classic venues that the modern pros make irrelevant by turning them into pitch and putt courses.


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I’m for a bifurcation of the rulebook.
 
Rolling back the ball because guys went stupid low at TOC with no real wind seems like overkill.
 
ntanygd760 said:
Rolling back the ball because guys went stupid low at TOC with no real wind seems like overkill.
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Agreed. The idea of rolling back the ball or having a specific ball the pros play has to be one of the most idiotic ideas, IMO. Regardless of the ball, they're still going to find a way to score great. Is it somehow better for the game to make them use inferior equipment? No. Whether they're shooting +20 or -20, it doesn't matter. Lowest score wins. The idea that par has to be protected is silly to me.
 
golfinnut said:
I have always voted for one set of Rules for the Pro's & another set for the Hacks like us.
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I agree. With the current groove rule, there is already 2 rules in play. I have NO issue at all with there being strict rules for the world class professionals and another more liberal set of rules for the rest of us. The world class players only make up 0.01% of all the worlds golfers, yet the USGA and the R&A change the rules on how these players play the game, and the rest of us suffer from it.
 
I doubt it. Heck many of the good golfers as evidenced by responses in this thread don't care!
 
Depends on the purpose. I wanted to see how much I could improve so when I head out to the course, I follow the rules of golf to the best of my ability. No breakfast balls/mulligans, no "ill just drop here", I followed every rule I know. I enjoy the game that way and am happy with it.
this Saturday the plan is to play a 2 man scramble. We play by a vastly different set of rules. Each player gets one mulligan per nine, should they happen to hit OB by white stakes they drop there and add one...unless we all think the ball should have been found in which case no stroke is added. Should we land in the sand my partner will ground his club. Repeatedly. And not add strokes. We have "gimmes" for putts, and occasionally those get a bit generous (lately my partner and I have been winning by 8-15 strokes so it is a way to make it seem closer than it is to give them some questionable ones).

I enjoy both ways. And when I am matched up with random strangers I don't care what rules they use. Last Saturday at Talking stick one person in my foursome was following every rule and calling out their score as they intended to post the round. 2 of the others were picking up halfway through holes, I gave a footwedge to one a couple of times when they could not see it at the request of their friend...


pros play for a lot of money and should play by the rules. For the rest of us? play the way that makes the game fun for us.
 
Rules ? My playing partners said it is ok, then it is ok.
 
You mean golf has rules?
 
I don't play golf. I play a game that sort of resembles golf, with a different set of rules I apply when and how I feel is appropriate. Said rules may change at any time, depending on how I feel/phase of the moon.

Edit: to actually respond to the OP question: Most casual golfers wouldn't care.
 
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