Five Dumbest Rules

[iacas]

What do you think are the five dumbest rules in golf? Why?

[Jim]

Having to take a penalty stroke and replay the shot when you hit out of bounds is too much of a penalty in my opinion. I think you should be able to drop where it went out like a hazard. Hitting o/b basically ruins an entire round and often wasn't that bad of a shot.

Regardless, I don't think any basic rules like this should ever be changed. It would change the game too much.

I guess it's up to the course designers where out of bounds is on a course. Some courses have o/b on quite a few holes because of houses, etc.

[gripitandripit]

Without a doubt, no relief from a divot in the fairway. I disagree with being penalized for hitting a fairway.

[iacas]

I'm gonna throw in the "no measuring devices" rule. I'm curious to see what the other responses are, though.

[NCGolfer]

1. Not being able to fix a pitch/ball mark on the fringe if you are going to putt over it.

2. Ball moving after you address it...especially on the green. With windy conditions and greens stimping around 11-12 I probably wouldn't even put the putter one the ground behind the ball. Just let them replace it with no penalty.

Basically it comes down to intent. If there is no clear intent to improve or aid your score, then I don't think there shouldn't be a penalty. I will concede that there is a fine line though.

[mediaguru]

Hitting out of a divot definitely.

[iacas]

Hitting out of a divot definitely.

That's one. The other four...?

[iacas]

Here's the article . Do you agree with the list?

[hig4s]

In the article he agrees with stroke and distance on OB because he has never seen a course with less than 30 yards from fairway to OB, and they usually are open on the other side.

He has obviously never played where I play.. the course by my house has several holes that are OB on one side and water on the other.. one of the holes like this has 30 yards on both sides but with such a sever slope away from the fairway that 10 yards either side rolls to either OB or water. If in the water I get to drop about where it went it in, but OB stroke and distance, I don't think it is right, especially when the OB is just woods. Woods should just be another hazard.

[iacas]

"He" is me, and that's not quite what I said - I said OB on both sides of the fairway within 30 yards (of the centerline). In other words, a 60-yard wide corridor with stroke-and-distance on both sides.

If people aren't comfortable hitting a 3W or even an iron off the tee in order to control their direction on a tight hole with water and OB, I would suggest they find another course.

My course has fairways that average about 22 yards in width. Some of them are well within 30 yards of being OB... but only on one side (with plenty of trees and trouble on the other side).

And, as you note, water isn't OB. Lateral water hazards don't penalize you the distance.

[You're Away]

I don't care for the ball in a divot rule as it should be "ground under repair" IMO.
I would also agree that OB being played as a lateral hazard would speed up play and make the rules easier for most to follow. Some of the courses I've played have very narrow distances for OB, many due to homes on the course, and if you've not played the course you may not know your OB until you get there.
I've already posted in another topic that I'm for the use of range finders or GPS.

[hig4s]

Still, around here most of the courses, except TPC and the two at World Golf Village, are built through communities. They are usually narrow, with either OB on both sides or OB on one and water on the other almost never having two holes run next to one another. Like stated before they often start sloping away toward the OB or hazard just a few yards off the fairway. And supposedly to help us not so good golfers, they keep the rough short, which allows that not too far off the fairway shot to roll OB or into the hazard.

The local courses that are the exception to this are, like TPC and World Golf Village, very expensive. When I can afford to play these better designed courses I enjoy myself more and actually score better. Personally I believe that unless it is a tournement, OB should be just like a hazard, drop two clubs from where is crossed the boundry, not closer to the pin with a one stroke penalty. It would make it more enjoyable for the average golfer and would speed up play.

[Rickins]

Though I've had this one "favorably" interpreted, I've always gotten a bit of a kick out of Rule 35-8 which defines casual water as an abnormal ground condition consisting of temporary water on the course that is "visible before or after you take your stance."

Should we assume that the brand new pond lying in the fairway after a heavy rain isn't casual water if it's over a knoll where it couldn't possibly be seen without walking up 180 yards beforehand?

Also, for we "casual" players, what constitutes "clear and convincing" evidence that a ball struck toward a water hazard - and not found - actually went into the hazard as opposed to being lost outside the hazard? (Rather speaks to the "stroke and distance" issue again from where I sit.)

I'm still undecided on range finders but the remainder of the list seems pretty complete.

Rick

[Rafcin]

1. Lost Ball rule (clear disadvantage vs. Pro Tournament with cameras, blimps, spectators and spotters )
2. GPS / Laser ( clear disadvantage vs. Pros with caddies and couple days of practice rounds )
3. Divots in your own fairway (clear disadvantage vs. Pros with premier courses and caddies replacing divots for them)
4. Loose impediments - especially the big ones (clear disadvantage vs. Tiger Woods - enuff said )
5.Signing wrong score ( clear disadvantage vs. Pros with the TV coverage and official scorers )

Hm... I sound like a really jeleaous amateur...