Did the USGA Overdo It with the Knee Drop?

JB

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If knee height is allowed, should they have not just said drop from any height above the knee? What are your thoughts on how the USGA handled this rule change?

The Old Rule
When taking a drop, a player must stand erect and hold the ball at shoulder height and arm’s length when dropping. A drop in any other manner is a one-stroke penalty.

The New Rule
New version states that a player’s only requirement is that the ball must be at knee height when dropping and must not touch any part of a player’s body or equipment before hitting the ground.
 
This is my least favorite rule change by a mile. It looks and feels ridiculously awkward. I have short arms, so I feel like I have to curtsy to perform a drop.

Anything above knee would have been fine. Or below waist. A range between the two. I don't care too much so long as it doesn't require you to bend awkwardly.

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Idiotic. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I just recently watched a few women on the LPGA tour literally bend Passed the knee and drop it about ankle high. And they allowed it! Make up your minds. How was this supposed to speed up play?

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The purpose is to get the ball back in play as quickly as possible.

The USGA failed on this aspect where they created a rule where by dropping from too high they created confusion.
 
Change it to place the ball and the worries are over. Place it wherever you are currently supposed to drop it.
 
The answer is yes.
You should see the utter confusion in League with guys trying to figure it out.
 
Yes I think anything above the knee is sufficient. Too much time wasted trying to get in awkward position to drop from exactly knee height

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Did the USGA Overdo It with the Knee Drop?

Yep, anything above the knee. A no brainer really, since there isn’t a competitive advantage to dropping higher.


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Worst.Rule.Change. The USGA is turrible
 
I think it is silly and have treated it as such.

Have yet to make a drop that doesn’t look like what Rickie did at pga national.
 
It's such a stupid change. The rule should be to drop from knee height or above and leave it at that. Simple and easy to figure out.
 
Find correct spot. 30 second clock starts.
Place ball on ground.
Hit ball.
If time limit is passed, add a stroke.
 
Change it to place the ball and the worries are over. Place it wherever you are currently supposed to drop it.

I don't want someone that just hit it in the water to have the perfect lie, but I also don't want to feel like I am squatting to drop the ball. Not everyone is going to be happy with new change, but it seems like no one is happy with this.

Dropping from waist height should have been the way to go.
 
It's stupid. Already penalized so place it and swing away.

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I think this was done to alleviate players strategically getting it to bounce outside of the drop area and place in a perfect lie. For this reason I think they got it right.


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I’m not too bent out of shape about it, but it would have been nice to drop without having to bend over.
 
If knee height is allowed, should they have not just said drop from any height above the knee? What are your thoughts on how the USGA handled this rule change?

The Old Rule
When taking a drop, a player must stand erect and hold the ball at shoulder height and arm’s length when dropping. A drop in any other manner is a one-stroke penalty.

The New Rule
New version states that a player’s only requirement is that the ball must be at knee height when dropping and must not touch any part of a player’s body or equipment before hitting the ground.

Oh my god yes! The penalty for an improper drop from the shoulder is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard of, particularly when you are in essence giving yourself a disadvantage and there is no possible advantage. A drop from knee height or higher should be a legal drop and the USGA is doing what the USGA does best: get in its own way.
 
If knee height is allowed, should they have not just said drop from any height above the knee? What are your thoughts on how the USGA handled this rule change?

The Old Rule
When taking a drop, a player must stand erect and hold the ball at shoulder height and arm’s length when dropping. A drop in any other manner is a one-stroke penalty.

The New Rule
New version states that a player’s only requirement is that the ball must be at knee height when dropping and must not touch any part of a player’s body or equipment before hitting the ground.


I am of the opinion that the new rule isn't a bad thing. With the old rule while dropping the ball from shoulder height you could have the ball take a bad bounce. The lower height of the new rule usually ends up with the ball stopping close to where it lands. Don't see what the problem is with dropping the ball from a lower height. Just lean forward, drop the ball, and away you go. Speeding up play is what the new rules are all about.
 
Should just change it to: stand erect and drop ball.
 
Drop from 1 club length. Would have been easy. Gives a decent height range. Already use club lengths for relief.
 
Really have no issue with it. Get better lies after the drop because of the decrease in ball dropping velocity and it is easier to line the ball up to my preferred drop position.
 
This is my least favorite rule change by a mile. It looks and feels ridiculously awkward. I have short arms, so I feel like I have to curtsy to perform a drop.

Anything above knee would have been fine. Or below waist. A range between the two. I don't care too much so long as it doesn't require you to bend awkwardly.

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Lol! I have the opposite problem with orangutan arms. I’m in jeopardy of a violation for dropping it below my knee. I honestly don’t really have an opinion with only 2 drops in 2019.
 
Originally they were going to allow the drop from as low as possible, an inch from the ground if you could bend that low, but changed it to knee height.

Don't know why people think it's a stupid rule. If you stand with your arms dangling at your sides most people have about another 5-6" to their knees. If you can't tilt to your side and extend your arm down a few inches to your knee how do you even swing a golf club?
 
I think it’s silly to try to fund knee level and would have preferred anywhere above the knee
 
Nothing good has come from this rule.
 
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