Knee Drop Height - Absurd or Just Something to Get Used To?

[boogielicious]

It’s not calculus for crying out loud. Drop from knee height! So easy to remember!

[Vinsk]

When it changed from over the shoulder to shoulder height did all hell break loose?

[DaveP043]

I just looked, it changed in 1984.  I was playing then, but really have no memory of the change.  With no internet, I'm guessing there were no significant issues.

[Vinsk]

25 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I just looked, it changed in 1984.  I was playing then, but really have no memory of the change.  With no internet, I'm guessing there were no significant issues.

I didn’t realize it changed that late. I too was playing and watching. No recollection of the change at all. Maybe Venturi had a comment about it. No internet like you said probably is a main factor.

[billchao]

I always thought knee height might be bad for older people and people with knee or hip replacements, but as far as actually following the rule I don't see what the issue is. Drop it from knee height. It's probably harder to remember that's the rule now than it is to actually do it.

I think everybody complaining about it are just complaining because the rule changed and people tend to be averse to change. Dropping from knee height is more advantageous for the player.

[ncates00]

26 minutes ago, billchao said:

I always thought knee height might be bad for older people and people with knee or hip replacements, but as far as actually following the rule I don't see what the issue is. Drop it from knee height. It's probably harder to remember that's the rule now than it is to actually do it.

I think everybody complaining about it are just complaining because the rule changed and people tend to be averse to change. Dropping from knee height is more advantageous for the player.

I don't see how taking a few seconds for a drop is any worse on your knees/back than a full round of golf already is.  I agree with it being more advantageous though.  Might reduce the number of drops it takes due to the ball rolling as well.

[billchao]

5 hours ago, ncates00 said:

I don't see how taking a few seconds for a drop is any worse on your knees/back than a full round of golf already is.

Yea and most people are still bending over to tee up the ball, too. It's not something I feel strongly about, just that if there was an argument to be made against it, that's the one concern I had.

[SteveH]

I watched Fowler inadvertently drop it from shoulder height. I don't see how he should have been assessed a penalty for it either as dropping from knee height seems like an obvious advantage to me.

[DaveP043]

22 minutes ago, SteveH said:

I watched Fowler inadvertently drop it from shoulder height. I don't see how he should have been assessed a penalty for it either as dropping from knee height seems like an obvious advantage to me.

Which other rules should not be enforced?  If a player breaks a rule, any rule, the penalty should be enforced, all the time.  Thank goodness that this rule doesn't mention intent, its really clear and simple.

[ncates00]

36 minutes ago, SteveH said:

I watched Fowler inadvertently drop it from shoulder height. I don't see how he should have been assessed a penalty for it either as dropping from knee height seems like an obvious advantage to me.

You're missing the point of rules it seems.  The idea is to create uniformity as much as you can at least within the rule, because the golf course conditions can change.  Rules bring order and fairness to the otherwise chaotic world of playing golf.

[DaveP043]

24 minutes ago, ncates00 said:

You're missing the point of rules it seems.  The idea is to create uniformity as much as you can at least within the rule, because the golf course conditions can change.  Rules bring order and fairness to the otherwise chaotic world of playing golf.

I'm playing tomorrow, first time in a month.  Chaotic may be an understatement.

[Asheville]

I can assure you, from personal experience, when and if the time comes for you to drop a ball, you'll have to stop and think about it. 😉

In all seriousness, when you're on the range warming up. Practice the drop about three times.

[sjduffers]

Well, this caught up with Rickie Fowler in Mexico (first hole on his third round after shanking one OB). His partner and caddie weren't looking during the drop (why was the caddie not looking and saying anything?), and he dropped from shoulder high out of habit and then proceeded to hit the ball: one stroke penalty! It was a dumb thing to do, really.  He probably won't make that mistake again, ah! 

[iacas]

Rickie, just because you f***ed it up, doesn't mean the rule is "stupid" or "terrible" or anything else.

Just play by the Rules. There's a reason they changed from shoulder to knee height. And, generally speaking, it's going to be an advantage for you. So just shut up and play it that way.

You f***ed up. Be a man and admit it - don't blame the Rules of Golf for it.

I never really rooted for Rickie before, and I've heard nothing but how great a guy he is, but I'm going to actively root against him now.

[billchao]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Rickie, just because you f***ed it up, doesn't mean the rule is "stupid" or "terrible" or anything else.

Just sour grapes on his part. If "not looking stupid" was a motivator for him, he wouldn't wear single colored outfits with matching accessories 😜

[boogielicious]

11 hours ago, billchao said:

Just sour grapes on his part. If "not looking stupid" was a motivator for him, he wouldn't wear single colored outfits with matching accessories 😜

Not a fan of orange and high top golf shoes?

[DaveP043]

14 hours ago, iacas said:

Rickie, just because you f***ed it up, doesn't mean the rule is "stupid" or "terrible" or anything else.

I didn't have a huge problem with most of what he said, I don't really care if he doesn't like the rule changes, but then I read "I think it will definitely be changed".  He apparently doesn't care or understand about the reasons for the change, and thinks that the USGA/R&A pay a whole lot more attention to the PGA Tour pros than they actually (I hope) do.  The touring pros, as a whole, show so little understanding of the rules that their opinions really shouldn't count for much of anything.  

[DeadMan]

4 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

I didn't have a huge problem with most of what he said, I don't really care if he doesn't like the rule changes, but then I read "I think it will definitely be changed".  He apparently doesn't care or understand about the reasons for the change, and thinks that the USGA/R&A pay a whole lot more attention to the PGA Tour pros than they actually (I hope) do.  The touring pros, as a whole, show so little understanding of the rules that their opinions really shouldn't count for much of anything.  

Not only players, but golf media is playing this up because they don't care to learn about why the rule is necessary:

It literally takes 5 minutes to read why this is the new rule, but none of them will actually bother doing that. Drives me batty.