Rules Officials and Slow Play on the PGA Tour

[iacas]

As I may have mentioned, Matt Goggin hit his ball into a yellow marked water hazard and started to take two clublengths before his caddie stopped him and they called for a rules official.

In the interest of slightly speeding up play, I think PGA Tour players (or their caddies at least) should know the fairly simple rules. I say the PGA Tour gives each player five rulings per year, or maybe one for every five events the guy plays, no more. Guys will have to learn the basic rules and will thus only call for rulings in the truly bizarre situations.

If they mess up a rule and get DQed or have to add strokes before signing their card, so be it. They'll learn (or rather more likely, they'll make their caddie learn) the rules.

OR

The PGA Tour could actually enforce their slow-play policy, and let it be known simultaneously that calling for a rules official is not justification for falling behind. It'd make the guys think twice about calling for a rules official for an easy, clear-cut ruling.

What do you think? What would you do to make players actually police themselves? For all the lip service we give to "golf is a game of honor," these guys don't actually know the rules. They just cover their behinds by calling a rules official in even the slightest of weird situations.

[mikelz]

Originally Posted by iacas

<snippage>

What do you think? What would you do to make players actually police themselves? For all the lip service we give to "golf is a game of honor," these guys don't actually know the rules. They just cover their behinds by calling a rules official in even the slightest of weird situations.

I think you should pass a rules test at Q-school.
If you don't know your options on yellow stakes...

[teal]

I agree with you. Make them or their caddies learn the rules. I can understand asking for a ruling but it should only be in those situations where something extraordinary happened.

These guys make too much $$ to not have someone either on their bag or in their entourage to keep them in check. The PGA officials are not babysitters or coaches.

How does a guy get good enough to be on the tour and not know the rules? I mean he must have, at some point in his life, played sans caddy or PGA official. I would he/she would have learned SOMETHING before he/she bacame the touring player.

[Shindig]

I like the idea of a rules inquiry every X events they play in, and they can get the request back if they can show after the round it was truly exceptional. I don't like the Y many per year, because I like the idea of advantages for players who play more often.

As for them having to risk a DQ or higher stroke count... I'm totally fine with it. Let them learn the rules. Rules knowledge should also help the caddies be better caddies, since there are rules that are there to help, too.

[ctmurrray]

I think there should be a rules official with each group. The punishment is too severe for any mistakes re: the rules. You don't see any other pro sport let the players decide such issues, they have umps and refs. I would speed play over having to "find" an official when it arises.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by ctmurrray

I think there should be a rules official with each group. The punishment is too severe for any mistakes re: the rules. You don't see any other pro sport let the players decide such issues, they have umps and refs. I would speed play over having to "find" an official when it arises.

Or, again, players could know the rules for themselves. Why should tournaments pay 50 rules officials when that money could go to charity and, again, the players are responsible for knowing the rules.

Additionally, one of the first things you read in the Rules book is this passage:

Source: Just about Page One in the Rules of Golf
The Spirit of the Game

Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.

[ctmurrray]

I think you only need 18 rules officials - one per hole to implement my suggestion. I think most players know the rules to a high level, but there on occasion arises some strange twist or concentrated consideration. Currently they "find" an official. My way there is one handy. Even this forum there is often heated discussion about rules interpretation. Also the USGA site has "decisions" which clarify the rules. So for a tournament where millions of dollars are at stake and which already cost real money to run and administer, the addition of some rules officials is not burdensome nor a violation of the spirit of my game. In my humble opinion.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by ctmurrray

I think you only need 18 rules officials - one per hole to implement my suggestion.

You do realize they'll be out there for 10+ hours, right?

Simply put, I go back to what I quoted from the Rules of Golf above: that "Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire."

A player not knowing the rules for a water hazard? Disgusting.

Originally Posted by ctmurrray

Even this forum there is often heated discussion about rules interpretation.

I've yet to see a heated rules discussion. Some people think things aren't "fair," but I've yet to see a rules discussion where the rule itself isn't pretty clear.

Guess we'll have to disagree on the "spirit" of the game bit, though again, my point of view is supported in writing by the USGA. I don't see the amount of money they're playing for as being of any consequence. The Rules of Golf don't care about the importance of the golf being played.

[ctmurrray]

Originally Posted by iacas

You do realize they'll be out there for 10+ hours, right?

I am not up on how many foursomes they send out, but obviously the person officiating hole 1 goes home after the last group is done and the 18th hole people don't show up until 4 hours after the first group tee time. My suggestion is sort of like having marshals on each hole. But I suspect they do get rotated out or work shifts during a long day. So a good point.

The actual flaw in my system is that the "best" players would still expect the "best" rules official to make the call, just as they get now. The person that is called is always the head rules official for the USGA or PGA or some other governing body. So the current system actually works pretty well, most often the players do make their own calls, except for some of the trickier points.