Should Tour Players Have Their Own Set of Rules?

[klineka]

1 hour ago, Bryan Kasper said:

I wish this was the only difference in amateur/ college and pro basketball. Unfortunately basketball is where they are lax on some of the simple calls in basketball( carries, travels, travels( i had to say it twice because it happens so often). 

 

Oh boy haha I love watching the NBA (cavs) but hate how guys can take multiple steps without it getting called. Imagine the uproar from the players if they actually started calling travels as defined in the rules... One of my favorite players, lebron, is one of the most guilty of this! Extremely off topic lol 

 

I love watching the PGA tour because I know they are playing by the exact same rules, using very similar, if not the exact same, balls, clubs, etc. with the main differences being the players' skill levels and the course distance/difficulty. I am in awe when I see some of the shots those guys visualize and then execute on their first attempts, with no mulligans!

[dbuck]

One game, one set of rules.

As several have said, the conditions of competition can be established by the committee to handle any special circumstances desired. There is no need for a second set of rules.

As to the flagstick rule, I can't say I really care. Aesthetically I like it out. Personally, I often leave it in if I am playing alone as a matter of convenience and pace of play. In my own putting, it might help slightly more than it hurts.

 

 

[RH31]

44 minutes ago, klineka said:

Oh boy haha I love watching the NBA (cavs) but hate how guys can take multiple steps without it getting called. Imagine the uproar from the players if they actually started calling travels as defined in the rules... One of my favorite players, lebron, is one of the most guilty of this! Extremely off topic lol 

 

I love watching the PGA tour because I know they are playing by the exact same rules, using very similar, if not the exact same, balls, clubs, etc. with the main differences being the players' skill levels and the course distance/difficulty. I am in awe when I see some of the shots those guys visualize and then execute on their first attempts, with no mulligans!

I hate the travelling and the way they carry or palm the ball. I can't watch it!!!

As for the rule thing, I'm for just about anything that speeds up play.

[DaveP043]

10 minutes ago, RH31 said:

As for the rule thing, I'm for just about anything that speeds up play.

The question is about different rules for the PGA/LPGA as compared to the standard USGA rules.  Does your answer mean you'd like to see the PGA and LPGA be forced to play faster, through rules that they write for themselves?  They've already been making their own rules about pace of play for years now, and its gotten us to the current situation.

[Groucho Valentine]

2 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

There are already local rules and conditions of competition for each event that differ from or modify the basic Rules of Golf.  Where do you think that the "PGA Tour" rules should differ from the USGA Rules?  For those cases, why should they differ?

Smaller cup diameters, equipment specs, different hazard rules. Whatever they feel like they need on that level. I have no problem with any of it. 

[mchepp]

I have argued against bifurcation for a while now. There were cries for different rules for professionals during the "anchoring" discussion. 

My reasons for not bifurcating is that the game played by professionals is already very different than the game us amateurs play. The idea that amateurs will enjoy the game more if there are different rules has yet to materialize. 

If golf wants to be friendlier it needs to make 2 changes. There needs to be MORE enforcement of policies on slow play. Touring professionals need to be the first to speed up. More, many more 2 stroke penalties need to be handed out...I am looking at you Jason Day and Jordan Speith. The second is better instruction so that people get better faster. An enormous amount of professionals hand out crap information and people get frustrated and quit sooner than they should. There needs to be an overhaul of the ways professionals are taught. Figuring out how to sell shirts at the pro shop will not generate any more new golfers, give those golfers proper information to get better faster.

Some of the rules are good suggestions. Some are not, but whatever is agreed the pros should embrace also.

[Bryan Kasper]

1 hour ago, klineka said:

Oh boy haha I love watching the NBA (cavs) but hate how guys can take multiple steps without it getting called. Imagine the uproar from the players if they actually started calling travels as defined in the rules... One of my favorite players, lebron, is one of the most guilty of this! Extremely off topic lol 

that is precisely who my main culprit was with my allegations haha. By far the best basketball player in the league, but i have also never seen someone travel so much. Definitely pisses me off. 

1 hour ago, klineka said:

I love watching the PGA tour because I know they are playing by the exact same rules, using very similar, if not the exact same, balls, clubs, etc. with the main differences being the players' skill levels and the course distance/difficulty. I am in awe when I see some of the shots those guys visualize and then execute on their first attempts, with no mulligans!

Coulndt have said it better myself. i also love that aspect

[DaveP043]

2 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

Smaller cup diameters, equipment specs, different hazard rules. Whatever they feel like they need on that level. I have no problem with any of it. 

Of these, equipment rules are the only difference I'd consider supporting.  It would be fun to see them playing older golf courses with the shot distances they were originally designed for.   It bugs me to see someone hit 3-wood and 7 iron on 13 at Augusta.  I can't see that happening, though, the equipment manufacturers make a lot of money by selling us consumers the "same gear that the pros use."  I can't see them setting up separate production lines for reduced distance equipment that they'd be giving free to the pros, but wouldn't be able to sell to the masses.

As for the rest of it, cup size, hazards, all the rest, I see no reason to have different rules for the pro tours.  

[RH31]

4 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

The question is about different rules for the PGA/LPGA as compared to the standard USGA rules.  Does your answer mean you'd like to see the PGA and LPGA be forced to play faster, through rules that they write for themselves?  They've already been making their own rules about pace of play for years now, and its gotten us to the current situation.

I'm for any governing body in golf, pro or amateur, waking up and realizing slow play damages the growth of the game and  doing something about it.