[Logan Joseph]

Am I the only one who likes golf just the way it is?

[minitour]

Logan Joseph, on May 27 2009, 03:09 PM, said:

Am I the only one who likes golf just the way it is?

I like your avatar just the way it is. As for golf...I should be allowed to tap down spike marks if someone's wearing metal spikes in front of me. It isn't my fault.

-mini

[D'KRUSHER]

I think some of the " Purists" here would never want to change the game.
Q: Do any of you here think that the R & A - USGA would accept a major -change, like the Mr.Sawgrass - OB, 2 penalty drop near point of OB entered ?

Of all the ideas listed here.. His has multiple benefits and would greatly help, non tournament public golf by speeding up play. I have played with people that already will penalize themselves with the OB ball- just as Sawgrass has proposed.

Q:Should there be "Tournamnet Rules " - keep OB rule as is .. AND " Public OB Rule " with play the OB Ball more like the Hazard..but with 2 shot penalty ?
To save time- to less than the dreaded 5+ hrs a round, and help local cheaper clubs stay in Biz... I'd say this OB variance would be great!

I play on a course that has lots of OB, lots of steep drop offs.. unless your young- you dont want to go down there into the Hazards. The 5 Minute rule starts when you get to the where abouts of the ball. It would take the average player 10 minutes to climb down,10 minutes out, the steep boulder slope to get near where you saw the ball go & deal with Briar bushes scraping against your bare legs.
When the wind blows in the afternoon, gusts to 25 are common with OB on right - rediculous desert steep dont want to even try to find ball- on left.

So, us locals, after the second OB or rediculous hazard ball- already drive down - 2 penalty and play where 2nd entered OB or Hazard. You can easlily spend an hour on one of those holes....and the "local" unwritten rules, like Sawgrass, is used most of the time- even by low hcp. players.

The game of golf would benefit by a tiny separation of "Tourni Rules" and "Club Rules ".

[Giantbear]

To me, i have never understood why an ob line is treated differently than a lateral hazzard line in terms of penalty. I think stroke and distance for ob is too punative when compared to just stroke for a ball hit into a lateral

[minitour]

Giantbear, on May 27 2009, 05:10 PM, said:

To me, i have never understood why an ob line is treated differently than a lateral hazzard line in terms of penalty. I think stroke and distance for ob is too punative when compared to just stroke for a ball hit into a lateral

So you don't think there should be a stiffer penalty for hitting the ball OFF of the course than into a hazard ON the course?

-mini

[RichB]

MAK2525, on Mar 26 2009, 03:05 PM, said:

kenoli22, on Mar 26 2009, 02:27 PM, said:

Best defense of the OB rule yet. I still hate it, but I agree with this reasoning on why it should be more of a penalty. However, it makes me hate on course OB even more. I don't think there is any grounds for making another fairway OB for one hole, but in for another.

Generally speaking, you will find the holes that mark an opposing fairway OB is due to it falling into one of these categories:

1. The parallel fairway can be used as a "shortcut". An example would be a bypass to a dogleg giving you a much easier / shorter approach.

2. It consistently puts golfers in the line of fire from opposing tee shots, thus slowing play as the group on the tee have to wait for the player to enter their fairway and play the shot.

3. Hole would be too easy if not for the penalty of stroke & distance. Example: short Par 4 that is "driveable" for a long hitter, but has a very narrow fairway. This forces them to either hit an iron / hybrid tee shot or gamble with risk / reward.

Easy for me to decide....Internal out of bounds has to go.

Put in trees to block the shortcuts, and protect the other fairway.
(anyone remember Lon Hinkle, had a tree named after him.)

And if I can't get that....allow for internal out of bounds stakes to be treated like
hazard stakes. As it is now..you cannot move an out of bounds marker.
10 feet (yes, I measured) off my FAIRWAY, and I can't take a swing at the green
because the internal out of bounds stake is interfering with my backswing.

[zdawg1rhs]

my rule change would be the 2 stroke penalty if you get hit by your own ball... if you hit it and it hits a tree and bounces back and hits you 2 shots and you feel stupid... IMO the worst rule in golf... the ob stuff and the hitting it out of a divot and all that i think is part of golf in general but if the ball hits you its not even your fault...

[golfismygame]

zdawg1rhs, on May 28 2009, 12:43 AM, said:

my rule change would be the 2 stroke penalty if you get hit by your own ball... if you hit it and it hits a tree and bounces back and hits you 2 shots and you feel stupid... IMO the worst rule in golf...

Your prayers have been heard.
That Rule was changed 1½ year ago, and since 1.1.08 the penalty have been 1 penalty stroke instead of 2...