Golf needs an overhaul of the rules - a set of instructions that will work for once a week hackers as opposed to pros or someone playing in their club championship.
I'd be interested on views on these following alterations
1) Lost or out of bounds balls. Many amateurs struggle to see exactly where a ball lands. Unlike the pros we have no marshalls or a gallery to keep on eye on our wayward drives, and sometimes we're unsure if the ball has landed in or out of bounds. Rather than go back to the tee to play a third for a lost or OB ball the player should just be able to drop in the vicinity for a penalty of one. It'll speed up play and generally make life easier for guys who are going to shoot 80, 90 or 100 anyway.
2) Because no-one rakes bunkers any more if your ball lands in a footprint in a bunker, or in a depression made by a dog or rabbit, you can move it without penalty. Bunkers are hard enough to escape without some selfish clown making it worse by refusing to rake after himself.
3) A ball in a divot in the fairway can be replaced without penalty. No brainer - high handicappers get too easily intimidated by these shots and it's not fair to have to play our of the inch-deep divots other hackers leave behind.
4) An unplayable ball can be moved more than two clublengths with a one-stroke penalty. If you're in really deep rough/trees just get the problem solved as quickly as possible to save wasting everyone's time.
5) Play out of turn. There's always someone bound to be pfaffing around - looking for a tee, pacing out a yardage - if you're ready just hit and etiquette be damned.
6) A limit of two practice swings!
That'll speed up play and make life on the links slightly more bearable for those us driven crazy by our game.
I don't get to play as much as I'd like to since having kids - when I do play, it's usually with a guy with an absolutely ENCYCLOPAEDIC knowledge of the rules.
ReplyDeleteHe used to drive me mad, but after a while, I kind of appreciated where he was coming from.
I say that because all your suggestions are common sense and they'd speed up busy courses no end, but I reckon it would be best if everyone knew and appreciated the rules before breaking them in a pragmatic fashion.
The two practise swings rule should be compulsory for everyone, at all times, though.