2010 PGA Championship

[albatross]

But if you look at the general consensus today including Stuart Appleby's Twitter, golf announcers who were on the course, other player interviews, and even most of the opinions in this thread, you are in the minority with your opinion. Most people feel you shouldn't allow spectators to be trampling in an area that is deemed a hazard. If you can only fit "1000 spectators" there then you SHOULD NOT host a spectator sport at that course or you should not have that area be a hazard. I realize that patrons trample down areas of a golf course but not usually sand traps and certainly not standing in them as a shot is hit.

Here are some player reactions and they agree as well with the majority here. http://espn.go.com/golf/pgachampions...ory?id=5466880

[iacas]

Most people feel you shouldn't allow spectators to be trampling in an area that is deemed a hazard.

Great. Let's make rules by popular opinion now.

If Dustin wanted the people to move he could have asked them to move. His ball was sitting on SAND and he didn't read the rules sheet. It's that simple.

If you can only fit "1000 spectators" there

You can fit 40,000 people there. They just have to walk through bunkers. Again, it's not like he got a bad lie. His lie was fine. His ball was on sand. I don't care about the argument "he couldn't see it was a bunker." Again,

his ball was on sand . At the very least that should have put doubt into his mind. As for whether the PGA should have or shouldn't have had the tournament there, that's not really relevant. Why didn't you say this earlier in the week? After all, Stuart ran afoul of the same rule in 2004. You could have been aware of it, as could Stuart. Nobody - nobody - said fans shouldn't be allowed to walk in the bunkers prior to yesterday at about 6:50 eastern time. It was fine all week until Dustin Johnson saw his ball sitting on sand and didn't have two wits about him to think "hmmm, what's up with this?"

[bplewis24]

My heart goes out to DJ as a result of this travesty. He will bounce back though, I just hope it's sooner rather than later. Thanks for the humor in this thread. I enjoy the people trying to justify it. It serves as a pick-me-up.

Brandon

[chriskzoo]

Great. Let's make rules by popular opinion now.

Funny, because that's exactly what Whistling Straits did with the local rule allowing players to remove stones in bunkers.

[albatross]

Peter Jacobson's quote from today sums it up for me:

"Whistling Straits is a fantastic course but MUST rethink the bunkers out of play. OR MANAGE THE CROWD BETTER. It shouldn't cost anyone a major."

[albatross]

Funny, because that's exactly what Whistling Straits did with the local rule allowing players to remove stones in bunkers.

This is a great point.

[Jay-Bird]

It's irrelevant whether patrons are standing in the hazard orwhether they're hovering over the ground with helium shoes. Nothing changes the FACT that a bunker is a bunker.

The ball was sitting in SAND. Just because people were standing in it doesn't change it's status.

[Elvisliveson]

It's irrelevant whether patrons are standing in the hazard orwhether they're hovering over the ground with helium shoes. Nothing changes the FACT that a bunker is a bunker.

That's just not true, Whistling Straits notwithstanding. You can have a bunker considered to be either a hazard or waste bunker. Here is the accepted definition of a waste bunker: Flat and hard-packed sand that typically lines some fairways. It is not usually considered a hazard like a sand bunker and carts are often permitted to drive through or across this feature. It is legal to ground your club in a waste bunker. The correct ruling was made in this case no doubt, but it is not cut and dried and golf 101 like some have tried to make it out to be. Whistling Straits utilizes its own local riules that are contrary to the normal rules.

[Cornbread]

ahh... but what if the sand that the ball was lying on wasn't actually in the trap. (kicked-out and spilled over the now non-existant lip)

[Cornbread]

But isn't it odd that Fans don't trample Augusta National this way... nor do they throw trash & bottle on the ground like these bozo's did at the PGA (this was an event ran by the PGA, not a Club... such as Augusta). Thus ,the PGA is partially responsible for this mess.

[senorchipotle]

Who's John?

lol... i was thinking the same thing.

[Zeph]

The correct ruling was made in this case no doubt, but it is not cut and dried and golf 101 like some have tried to make it out to be. Whistling Straits utilizes its own local riules that are contrary to the normal rules.

Could you please show me the "normal rule" which states that a bunker cannot be deemed a bunker? The rules says that you can call some areas of the course waste bunkers, but Whistling Straits has chosen not to do this, since most of the bunkers are more bunkers than waste areas.

But isn't it odd that Fans don't trample Augusta National this way... nor do they throw trash & bottle on the ground like these bozo's did at the PGA (this was an event ran by the PGA, not a Club... such as Augusta). Thus ,the PGA is partially responsible for this mess.

Augusta has got lots of places for the crowd to stand, Augusta does not have 1200 bunkers. How hard is that to see? Did you ever see the crowd standing in a greenside bunker this week?

[Elvisliveson]

Could you please show me the "normal rule" which states that a bunker cannot be deemed a bunker? The rules says that you can call some areas of the course waste bunkers, but Whistling Straits has chosen not to do this, since most of the bunkers are more bunkers than waste areas.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I SAID AND HAVE BEEN SAYING HERE AND IN OTHER THREADS HERE ALL MORNING, ROTHFLMAO! I gave a definition of waste bunker and stated "Whistling Straits not withstanding". So, what's your issue? Reading comprehension?

[Jay-Bird]

That's just not true, Whistling Straits notwithstanding. You can have a bunker considered to be either a hazard or waste bunker. Here is the accepted definition of a waste bunker: Flat and hard-packed sand that typically lines some fairways. It is not usually considered a hazard like a sand bunker and carts are often permitted to drive through or across this feature. It is legal to ground your club in a waste bunker. The correct ruling was made in this case no doubt, but it is not cut and dried and golf 101 like some have tried to make it out to be. Whistling Straits utilizes its own local riules that are contrary to the normal rules.

Whistling Straits not withstanding ???????? We're talking about exactly and only Whistling Straits here. Sheesh.

[Elvisliveson]

Whistling Straits not withstanding ???????? We're talking about exactly and only Whistling Straits here. Sheesh.

Who says? Are you the moderator? We are also talking about what the PGA and Whistling straits could have done. ANd I was specifically addressing the misinformed comment "a bunker is a bunker", which is blantantly wrong. I was explaining you can have a bunker that was a hazard or a bunker that was a waste bunker.

[Jay-Bird]

Who says? Are you the moderator? We are also talking about what the PGA and Whistling straits could have done. ANd I was specifically addressing the misinformed comment "a bunker is a bunker", which is blantantly wrong. I was explaining you can have a bunker that was a hazard or a bunker that was a waste bunker.

Who says? The TITLE of the thread says. The entire discussion says. The RULES sheets the players and caddies were given says.

Ignorance of a rule does not excuse you from it.

[Zeph]

And Whistling Straits made it abundantly clear that every bunker was a bunker. What could they have done? Mark ever bunker that is a bunker, or every bunker that is a waste area? The pictures shows that this clearly is a bunker by the state of it.

The protests would have been far less if this had happened to Kaymer, that's for sure.

[Elvisliveson]

Who says? The TITLE of the thread says. The entire discussion says. The RULES sheets the players and caddies were given says.

WTF is your problem? You are delusional if you think the title of the thread precludes explaining what the different types of bunkers are. And, I never said DJ should be excused from the rule, the correct ruling in this case was made. I have mentioned the rules sheet myself in other posts. However, a blantantly false statement was made by you that a "bunker is a bunker" and I was simply trying to explain how that is not the case. You just don't like anyone correcting you, I get it it. You must learn a lot with that mindset. Grow the f up!