It looks like the same scenario as DJ and Wattel in the open. Proximity of the golfer on the ground deforms the ground and it rolls off the blades of grass it was perched on. I think it's a bad penalty, because it's essentially random, though much more likely on very fast & sloped greens.

I liked Chappell as a possible pick early in the playoffs. He's a solid ballstriker with good length and the original 8 were a little thin there. If his putting has come alive during the playoffs (he's 'found' something) and his birdie average has bumped up then he would be a solid pick IMO. I think he'd be more of a contributor in fourball than foursomes with relatively weaker putting / short game than guys already on the team. Berger seems to have the most balanced game of the remaining pick options. McGirt and Woodland wouldn't be bad picks either. Justin Thomas may be a good 'chemistry' pick, but his stats for the year seem like he's got a very 'hit or miss' style of game. Maybe he was saving it for the end of the season, though? Moore would be an okay pick, but I expect he's a little short for Hazeltine (ballstriking is not his strength) and the squad already has Sneds and Zach. Duf wouldn't be a bad pick either if his game is on form and his putting has warmed up a bit.

On the penalty assessed to Justin Thomas, this will lead all golfers to mark their ball before putting anything but a tap in.  If he marks the ball and the places the ball back down, the ball probably won't move as it did.  With millions on the line, a player needs to mark the ball and inspect the putting surface.  Just a bad rule in my opinion but the ruling was correct.  Guilty until proven innocent.

If it is a municipal (city owned) course there may be no support from the city to maintain it beyond the absolute minimum. Truth is, cities have budgets and there is no money appropriated to improve it.  It really is a vicious circle.  Poorer conditions result in fewer rounds being played.  Costs out weigh revenue, rates are raised so even fewer people play the course and that results in less revenue.  It becomes an anchor on the city budget and easy prey for an investor.  So many muni courses have disappeared. John

After reading all these stories of how rarely it has happened to you guys I feel like an absolute menace on the golf course.   First time I ever hit into a group in front of me it was a blind approach into the green.  I drove my cart to the top of the hill to get a line on the flag.  One guy was getting his ball out of the hole and another guy was carrying the flag back to the hole.  I figured that by the time I got back to my ball they would be gone.  I lined up my shot, took several practice swings, checked my line again, and then blasted a beautiful, high, straight shot over the hill, right on line at the flag.  Pulled back up the hill and saw they were still putting.  Went up to apologise, and they congratulated me on a great shot.  He said it clipped the brim of his hat as he was tapping in and checked up a foot from the cup.  They also insisted that I play thru. Second time I did it on that course I sliced my drive two fairways over and hit into a cart on the move up the cart path. It rattled around in the cart and they both dove out of the cart for cover. Happened a few times on my home course too.  Several holes have blind drives and approaches due to all the hills in East Tennessee.  When play is slow you inevitably catch someone in a blind spot.  I got stuck behind a slow group one day and had to wait for ever shot from the 4th hole on.  By the 6th a young twosome had caught up to my group because of the slow play in front of us.  By the back nine they started getting impatient and driving onto us.  On hole 14 the preferred shot is to hit 170-200 yard layup from the tee to leave a 130-160 yard uphill shot into a blind green.  I was about 150 yards out waiting on the green to clear when they teed off.  Their ball rolled right up to my feet.  I turned around angry and hit their ball right back at them.  I was so ticked I blasted my 150 yard club at least 200 yards back at them flying over their head and into the woods behind the tees.  Didn't see them anymore that day.