2013 WGC Bridgestone Invitational Discussion Thread

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

When establishing the nearest point of relief, the rule only says the player should take his stance with the club he would have used if he had played the shot.  Even that isn't a requirement, and that I really don't understand.  I asked a rules instructor about it and he didn't have any better answer than that's just what it says.

Really?  I thought that was "must"......

Good to know, thanks!

[Jakester23]

Who would decide what club is the correct club for the shot? I understand what you are saying about using a driver but what about using a 6 iron then deciding you want to go to a wedge. Its not like the player would re drop.

[Motley01]

Why are they playing 3 some's today? Yesterday they played 2 some's.

[colin007]

Why are they playing 3 some's today? Yesterday they played 2 some's.

Possible bad weather.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by colin007

Possible bad weather.

And why the leaders are going off at 1:10p instead of later.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

What is throwing you off?  The extra club margin?  That's how a lot of drops work: you get 2 club lengths for full relief, but the ball must be dropped within the 2nd club length.  Tiger used the putter for his drop because he wanted full relief to still be right of the tree line.

Tiger's problem recently in the majors has been Saturday, not Sunday.  The Open Championship that just passed was the first time in recent majors that he hasn't nearly blown all chance at winning during the Saturday round.

On your first point: He wanted to be sure that if his ball rolled into the tree line it would be beyond the club length and therefore give him a re-drop.  I thought it was pretty astute.  There wasn't any extra club.

On the second point, I know that is the conventional wisdom.  I just think it is wrong.

When "in the old days" did he go into Saturday behind and then come back and win in a major?  My point is that this recent pattern isn't all that different than the good old days.  The difference is than in the good old days he would go into Saturday with the lead.  Would I like to see him come from behind in a major?  Absolutely.  But when he does it will be the first time.  I would be more concerned about his mental state if he was taking leads into the weekend and then giving them up.

Originally Posted by Jakester23

Who would decide what club is the correct club for the shot? I understand what you are saying about using a driver but what about using a 6 iron then deciding you want to go to a wedge. Its not like the player would re drop.

The player decides.  They have to leave it flexible because once you drop the ball you have a different shot and you have to let the player use the club he wants to for the shot.  It is easy to envision a situation where a player's line pre-drop requires a low punch shot, and hence one club, but post drop he has a clear sight line and wants to hit a more lofted club.  Or vice versa.  So, since there is no "right" club for measuring the club-length they let you use any club.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

No, not even close.  Two clublengths only happens when taking penalty relief.

Originally Posted by turtleback

On your first point: He wanted to be sure that if his ball rolled into the tree line it would be beyond the club length and therefore give him a re-drop.  I thought it was pretty astute.  There wasn't any extra club.

Then the announcing crew and/or the official got it wrong.  I no longer have it on my DVR, but somebody clearly states during the drop or just before it that he is to take two club lengths and drop within the second.  Then he takes a club length, lines up the putter from the end of the 1st club length, and drops it within that.

Fourputt, what about relief from a cart path?

[David in FL]

Fourputt, what about relief from a cart path?

1 club length. Simple rule of thumb....if you "pay" for it, via a penalty stroke, you get 2 club lengths. If it didn't cost you a stroke, you only get one.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by David in FL

1 club length.

Simple rule of thumb....if you "pay" for it, via a penalty stroke, you get 2 club lengths. If it didn't cost you a stroke, you only get one.

Can't wait to tell the rules person in my club that she's been wrong for 2 years (the first year I joined and they told me the rule).

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

No, not even close.  Two clublengths only happens when taking penalty relief.

Quote:

Originally Posted by turtleback

On your first point: He wanted to be sure that if his ball rolled into the tree line it would be beyond the club length and therefore give him a re-drop.  I thought it was pretty astute.  There wasn't any extra club.

Then the announcing crew and/or the official got it wrong.  I no longer have it on my DVR, but somebody clearly states during the drop or just before it that he is to take two club lengths and drop within the second.  Then he takes a club length, lines up the putter from the end of the 1st club length, and drops it within that.

Fourputt, what about relief from a cart path?

The procedure is the same.  You first locate the nearest point of complete relief from the obstruction by taking your stance with the club you would use if you were to play the ball as it lies.  Once you have established the nearest point which is not closer to the hole and where there is no interference for lie, stance or swing, that is your reference point for measuring one clublength to set your drop zone.  When dropped, the ball must first touch the ground within that zone, and may not roll more than two clublengths from where it first hits the ground, nor may it roll closer to the hole than the established nearest point of relief; nor can it roll to a position where there is a gain interference from the obstruction.  If any of those occurs, the ball must be redropped, and if the ball rolls again into any of those situations, it must be placed on the spot where it first touched the course.

This entire procedure is not always necessary, as at times it is quite easy to determine the drop area, like when you are taking relief from a sprinkler head.  That usually requires only a very small move, so just a quick estimate and drop usually fulfills the requirement.   In some cases of ground under repair or a cart path or other larger obstruction, careful measurement must be made to ensure that you are dropping in the right area.

[colin007]

Can't wait to tell the rules person in my club that she's been wrong for 2 years (the first year I joined and they told me the rule).

Even better that she's a woman because women are stoopid!!! Lol... JK! :-P :-D :-P

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Then the announcing crew and/or the official got it wrong.  I no longer have it on my DVR, but somebody clearly states during the drop or just before it that he is to take two club lengths and drop within the second.  Then he takes a club length, lines up the putter from the end of the 1st club length, and drops it within that.

Announcers getting a rule wrong, even when they are former touring pros, is not unusual.

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Can't wait to tell the rules person in my club that she's been wrong for 2 years (the first year I joined and they told me the rule).

This is why you need to learn the rules from the book or from people you KNOW are expert, like some of the folks who frequent the Rules forum here.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by turtleback

This is why you need to learn the rules from the book or from people you KNOW are expert, like some of the folks who frequent the Rules forum here.

It can become a problem, though, when the people you play with (and the ones who ultimately approve/attest/accept the scorecards) would disagree with you.  Especially if there is a consensus.  I would have to be pretty convincing, and I'm a relative n00b when it comes to the rules.  Anyhow, this is getting off-topic, so I digress...

Yesterday's round was sort of boring.  Nobody has a chance to win, so the only drama is Tiger playing incredibly well or incredibly poorly.  The latter won't happen, and he didn't exactly light it up yesterday.  It almost seemed like he played bad, and yet he was -2 on the day and kept his lead at seven strokes (and for a short time had extended it one or two strokes).

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Quote:

Originally Posted by turtleback

This is why you need to learn the rules from the book or from people you KNOW are expert, like some of the folks who frequent the Rules forum here.

It can become a problem, though, when the people you play with (and the ones who ultimately approve/attest/accept the scorecards) would disagree with you.  Especially if there is a consensus.  I would have to be pretty convincing, and I'm a relative n00b when it comes to the rules.  Anyhow, this is getting off-topic, so I digress...

Yesterday's round was sort of boring.  Nobody has a chance to win, so the only drama is Tiger playing incredibly well or incredibly poorly.  The latter won't happen, and he didn't exactly light it up yesterday.  It almost seemed like he played bad, and yet he was -2 on the day and kept his lead at seven strokes (and for a short time had extended it one or two strokes).

This is just one reason why I carry a rule book in my bag at all times.  Of course that is irrelevant if you've never read it and don't know how to find what you need in it.   But there is a handy index and table of contents to help you out.

On topic:  Tiger player rather poorly yesterday and still shot 2 under and didn't lose any ground.  He would have to have a total meltdown to be caught today.  That or one of those close behind him would have to shoot a course record while Tiger just idles.  Either way something exceptional has to occur.

[BostonBrew]

Watching CBS before the coverage starts. Was in the bathroom and came out to a piece about Lee Trevino. They ended the story with a black and white photo of Trevino smiling. I freaked out for a second and started to worry that maybe he had passed away. Frantically searched the internet. Fortunately, no such thing has happened.

[jamo]

The Baba Booey Buffoons are out in force today.

[Zeph]

Someone please hit that guy over the head with a one iron. This could've been a really low round by Tiger, but he's not making putts.

[nevets88]

What buffoons? Watching with mute and unrelated tech and news podcasts as audio.

Did you see - Popovich +34

Ouch.