If you could change ONE rule, what would it be?

[inthehole]

My one rule change - get rid of the 14 club rule.    Carry as many clubs as your back can handle - no limit.     I'd love to have a chipper and a 64, and maybe a 4 degree separation of all my wedges.      The whole 14 club thing seems like a jacked up rule to me ... why is it necessary to limit a players choices ??     You'd have guys carrying 18 clubs and guys carrying 13 or 14 - the better players would still win, no matter how many they carry ...

[MS256]

OK, I thought of one during the Players yesterday.  I was watching somebody hit their third shot on 17 form the drop area, and seeing how many divot holes there are in that small circle, I thought that maybe it would be a good idea to allow players to place their ball in designated drop areas.

I would vote for that. I figure on that particular hole I would play from the tee box again instead of the drop area though so I could hit the same club and same distance.

Most of the time when I hit the ball in the water there's a fairly substantial advantage in distance to hit from the drop area so most of the time I use the drop area.

[iacas]

My one rule change - get rid of the 14 club rule.    Carry as many clubs as your back can handle - no limit.     I'd love to have a chipper and a 64, and maybe a 4 degree separation of all my wedges.      The whole 14 club thing seems like a jacked up rule to me ... why is it necessary to limit a players choices ??     You'd have guys carrying 18 clubs and guys carrying 13 or 14 - the better players would still win, no matter how many they carry ...

If I was changing that rule I'd go the other way and limit it to ten clubs or so.

Guys would never be between yardages again if they could do what you're suggesting.

[Fourputt]

My one rule change - get rid of the 14 club rule.    Carry as many clubs as your back can handle - no limit.     I'd love to have a chipper and a 64, and maybe a 4 degree separation of all my wedges.      The whole 14 club thing seems like a jacked up rule to me ... why is it necessary to limit a players choices ??     You'd have guys carrying 18 clubs and guys carrying 13 or 14 - the better players would still win, no matter how many they carry ...

Because golf is supposed to be a game of skill, not just a task of choosing a club.   It's close enough to that already with 14 clubs.  That was the reasoning behind placing the limit on what could be used during around.  Back in the1930's when the steel shaft made it easier to match a set of clubs, players had started carrying as many as 25-35 clubs and the ruling bodies at the time determined that this was taking away from the skill required to play.

They set an arbitrary limit of 14 clubs as being enough to fill most gaps, but still making it necessary to make certain choices as to what would be best for ones game or for the current course.  That still holds true today.  You are expected to decide what works best for you, and to learn to play the shots needed to fill those shortages caused by the limit.

You are supposed to learn how to play golf, not just how to choose a club.

[inthehole]

Guys would never be between yardages again if they could do what you're suggesting.

Thats exactly my point Iacas.

Why is it necessary to force people by limiting the number of clubs that makes a hard game even harder - if I know the distance, let me use a club that plays with a full swing to that distance.     It's hard enough to execute a full shot cleanly, aim it correctly, etc ... without worrying about taking off it or having to lean on it.

Just my opinion, but if they want to make the game more "casual golfer friendy" ... forget the bigger hole, let us carry as many clubs as we like to make the game easier.

[hopefulhacker]

But then it wouldn't be a drop area......   :-$

Ok so, change the dropping height requirement to 1mm in these areas :) Or just call them Place Zone Places ;)

[saevel25]

Ok so, change the dropping height requirement to 1mm in these areas :)

Or just call them Place Zone Places ;)

Couldn't you just keep dropping it on the line so it falls out, then after two drops you can just place it in the drop zone?

[Maddog10]

The "lost ball" rule which requires you to take stroke and distance is one that gets me. I don't feel that strongly that it should be changed, but it is frustrating and at times seems like too harsh of a penalty. It seems that a more fitting ruling would be to take a drop nearest the point where the ball is assumed to be lost, similar to dropping where a ball entered a lateral hazard. The issue with changing it would be enforcing where to drop, as some guys would try to cheat the system and drop 50 yards ahead of where their ball is presumably lost. This happens with lateral hazards as well though.

The pros rarely have to deal with this, as there is always so many eyes on their shots that a ball buried in the rough is found by spectators within seconds. For amateurs though, I've missed the fairway by  just a few yards before and then when I couldn't find my ball I was forced to walk back to the tee box and hit my 3rd shot, despite my first shot being hit pretty well. I missed qualifying for the state championship one year by a stroke, and on the 16th I had this exact scenario happen. Hit a good drive that only missed the fairway by a few yards, but the rough was thick and my ball was not found within the 5 minute time limit. Had to re-tee and ended up with a double bogey on the hole.

[iacas]

Why is it necessary to force people by limiting the number of clubs that makes a hard game even harder - if I know the distance, let me use a club that plays with a full swing to that distance.     It's hard enough to execute a full shot cleanly, aim it correctly, etc ... without worrying about taking off it or having to lean on it.

Just my opinion, but if they want to make the game more "casual golfer friendy" ... forget the bigger hole, let us carry as many clubs as we like to make the game easier.

So you want to make the game more expensive for the average golfer?

They're still going to suck with 20 clubs.

@Fourputt answered your question: because more clubs removes skill from the game.

You could ostensibly have different putters that send the ball different distances, and then you only need to learn one putting stroke. Or you could have 30 chippers that send the ball different distances and heights. Where's the skill in that?

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

Guys would never be between yardages again if they could do what you're suggesting.

Thats exactly my point Iacas.

Why is it necessary to force people by limiting the number of clubs that makes a hard game even harder - if I know the distance, let me use a club that plays with a full swing to that distance.     It's hard enough to execute a full shot cleanly, aim it correctly, etc ... without worrying about taking off it or having to lean on it.

Just my opinion, but if they want to make the game more "casual golfer friendy" ... forget the bigger hole, let us carry as many clubs as we like to make the game easier.

Casual golfers don't care much about the rules anyway, so why change anything to accommodate them?  Half the guys on this forum would readily admit to carrying more than 14 clubs at times, if not on a regular basis, and we like to think of our membership as being relatively well informed.  The average once a month golfer doesn't know or care how many clubs the rules require.  He's never seen a rule book and has no interest in getting one - he is no more likely to look at your changed rule book than he will read the current one.

[Golfingdad]

But then it wouldn't be a drop area......

Or just call them Place Zone Places ;)

LOL ... I like it!  Let's shorten it to "Place places."

[Rulesman]

Couldn't you just keep dropping it on the line so it falls out, then after two drops you can just place it in the drop zone?

You can already. See the Note to the Local Rule.

Note: When using a dropping zone the following provisions apply regarding the dropping and re-dropping of the ball:

(a) The player does not have to stand within the dropping zone when dropping the ball.

(b) The dropped ball must first strike a part of the course within the dropping zone.

(c) If the dropping zone is defined by a line, the line is within the dropping zone.

(d) The dropped ball does not have to come to rest within the dropping zone.

(e) The dropped ball must be re-dropped if it rolls and comes to rest in a position covered by Rule 20-2c (i-vi).

(f) The dropped ball may roll nearer the hole than the spot where it first struck a part of the course , provided it comes to rest within two clublengths of that spot and not into any of the positions covered by (e).

(g) Subject to the provisions of (e) and (f), the dropped ball may roll and come to rest nearer the hole than:

• its original position or estimated position (see Rule 20-2b );
• the Nearest Point Of Relief or maximum available relief (Rule 24-2 , 25-1 or 25-3 ); or
• the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the Water Hazard or Lateral Water Hazard (Rule 26-1 ).

[inthehole]

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthehole

Why is it necessary to force people by limiting the number of clubs that makes a hard game even harder - if I know the distance, let me use a club that plays with a full swing to that distance.     It's hard enough to execute a full shot cleanly, aim it correctly, etc ... without worrying about taking off it or having to lean on it.

Just my opinion, but if they want to make the game more "casual golfer friendy" ... forget the bigger hole, let us carry as many clubs as we like to make the game easier.

So you want to make the game more expensive for the average golfer?

They're still going to suck with 20 clubs.

@Fourputt answered your question: because more clubs removes skill from the game.

You could ostensibly have different putters that send the ball different distances, and then you only need to learn one putting stroke. Or you could have 30 chippers that send the ball different distances and heights. Where's the skill in that?

I didn't think about the expense of extra clubs.    I guess my issue is with not being able to have enough wedges ... I would like to have 6 of them (PW, 48, 52, 56, 60 & 64) - LOL !!   (yes, I'm serious !!)

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthehole

Why is it necessary to force people by limiting the number of clubs that makes a hard game even harder - if I know the distance, let me use a club that plays with a full swing to that distance.     It's hard enough to execute a full shot cleanly, aim it correctly, etc ... without worrying about taking off it or having to lean on it.

Just my opinion, but if they want to make the game more "casual golfer friendy" ... forget the bigger hole, let us carry as many clubs as we like to make the game easier.

So you want to make the game more expensive for the average golfer?

They're still going to suck with 20 clubs.

@Fourputt answered your question: because more clubs removes skill from the game.

You could ostensibly have different putters that send the ball different distances, and then you only need to learn one putting stroke. Or you could have 30 chippers that send the ball different distances and heights. Where's the skill in that?

I didn't think about the expense of extra clubs.    I guess my issue is with not being able to have enough wedges ... I would like to have 6 of them (PW, 48, 52, 56, 60 & 64) - LOL !!   (yes, I'm serious !!)

You can have six if you want.  You just have to make some hard decisions elsewhere then.

[dchoye]

fixing spike marks. I really dont think Simon Dyson gave himself any unfair advantage by pushing a spike down with the ball.

I understand that one could dig a trench to the hole, but wouldnt that be very obvious? he have to continue to fix a few thousand spike marks per green on his path to the hole to gain some advantage.

I think the rule could be changed so one can be allow to tap a spike mark but not dig with his putter or use metal ball repair tool for spike marks if on his line of putt.

[Fourputt]

fixing spike marks. I really dont think Simon Dyson gave himself any unfair advantage by pushing a spike down with the ball.

I understand that one could dig a trench to the hole, but wouldnt that be very obvious? he have to continue to fix a few thousand spike marks per green on his path to the hole to gain some advantage.

I think the rule could be changed so one can be allow to tap a spike mark but not dig with his putter or use metal ball repair tool for spike marks if on his line of putt.

The fact that he repaired the spike mark before he played did give him a potential advantage over those who played by the rules.  For that reason he was penalized.

[Shorty]

fixing spike marks. I really dont think Simon Dyson gave himself any unfair advantage by pushing a spike down with the ball.

Are you kidding?

A spike mark cost me a putt this morning.

[meenman]

The "lost ball" rule which requires you to take stroke and distance is one that gets me. I don't feel that strongly that it should be changed, but it is frustrating and at times seems like too harsh of a penalty. It seems that a more fitting ruling would be to take a drop nearest the point where the ball is assumed to be lost, similar to dropping where a ball entered a lateral hazard. The issue with changing it would be enforcing where to drop, as some guys would try to cheat the system and drop 50 yards ahead of where their ball is presumably lost. This happens with lateral hazards as well though.

The pros rarely have to deal with this, as there is always so many eyes on their shots that a ball buried in the rough is found by spectators within seconds. For amateurs though, I've missed the fairway by  just a few yards before and then when I couldn't find my ball I was forced to walk back to the tee box and hit my 3rd shot, despite my first shot being hit pretty well. I missed qualifying for the state championship one year by a stroke, and on the 16th I had this exact scenario happen. Hit a good drive that only missed the fairway by a few yards, but the rough was thick and my ball was not found within the 5 minute time limit. Had to re-tee and ended up with a double bogey on the hole.

This is one of the most requested and unreasonable requests.

There is no way to measure where a lost ball might be. Even if the rough is thick, why punish the guy that hit a shorter straighter club - this is the equivalent of awarding an out of bounds shot to where it crossed the line - you make a risk / reward shot, be prepared to suffer when it does not go your way.