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Ace or Not…That is The Question?

Published

2 years ago

May 23, 2023

Let’s be real here – After all, It’s a safe space – LOL, but honestly, We ALL hate that guy – The Flippin’ Rules Guy: He seemingly knows all and is always – ALWAYS watching…chirping in wherever he gets the unsolicited opportunity. There is usually one in every group. However, here is a situation we just may need him for! I don’t always like said rules guy…but when I do need him, I prefer him to be correct! (Or even better – to rule in my favor TBH) All that aside, We got a question that we had to call in our dedicated rules official for. Check out the ruling below and let us know what you think…

Question: While playing a par 3, the first player’s ball stopped about a foot from the hole. The third player’s shot from the tee hit the first ball into the hole. Not sure what the call is. Two good shots, by the way, but was the 1st shot a hole-in-one? – Ken

Answer: Simply put – NO – We will explain why below. The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers. Buckle up here we go…What do the official rules say about a ball that goes in the hole after being bounced by another ball? Answer below ??? – AKA Keep reading

First off, Ken, those are some fine players you’re surrounding yourself with. But I must ask…what happened with the second player’s shot? Was it yours? Did we snap a duck hook out of bounds? Inquiring minds want to know! OK- OK – I’ll pump the brakes, sorry, it just seems like you play with some sticks in your group and we want in! #Respect

Regardless, here’s the official ruling: the first ball is replaced back to where it was, and the other ball is played as it lies — with no penalty to either, obviously — under Rules 9.6 and 11.1. Obviously we want to card that a 1 but the rules say it was a nice tap in birdie…Keep hanging out with such super sticks, as it may rub off on you! Wait – Nobody is rubbing off on anyone on this site – PERIOD!

For more partner ball guidance from our guru, read on … This is a legit question we received, and it’s a pretty good one…The answer was shocking

Question: If a handkerchief is considered an “artificial object” as it relates to gauging wind, what about cigar smoke? I often play with one or more smokers, and cigar smoke is a perfect indicator of wind direction and velocity. Does observing this smoke result in a penalty for the observer? — Richard

Answer: Simply Put YES, ONLY if it was intended – We know it’s tricky, but let us explain – First off: Kids, don’t smoke — and don’t break the Rules of Golf. 2 pieces of wisdom that we will give you for FREE. That’s just how we do. We explain the ruling below.

This may seem irrational, but think about it. Because cigars et al. are artificial objects, per Rule 4.3a(2) using any of these things for the specific purpose of gauging wind-related information would be an issue.

Might I say, having a handkerchief on the course itself isn’t a breach but using it as a quasi-wind sock is, the same is true with cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc. Smoking is a health issue but not a rules issue — well, generally.

So, Richard, if there is a smoker in your group — let’s call him Camel Joe— and he is breaching this rule, he would get the general penalty of two strokes in stroke play and loss of hole-in-match play for the first offense and DQ’d upon a second offense.

Assuming you didn’t ask Camel Joe to blow smoke in order to pick up its signals, you, my friend, are in the clear — save for the dangers of secondhand smoke and your friend has a name that sounds like a hottie in yoga pants.

Got a question about the Rules? Ask the Rules Guy! Send your queries, confusions, and comments to jason@clickitmigrate.wpenginepowered.com. We promise he won’t throw the book at you.

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One of the Greatest Putts in U.S. Open History?

JJ Spaun’s 64-Foot Walk-Off

Published

5 days ago

June 16, 2025

James Fairway

When JJ Spaun stood over a 64-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole of the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, few could have predicted what would come next. The ball meandered across the slick green, trickling over every contour, picking up speed at the crest, and then—like it had GPS—dropped center cup. Spaun dropped his putter, raised his arms, and the crowd erupted. With that single stroke, he claimed his first major title in one of the most dramatic finishes in U.S. Open history.

But how does Spaun’s putt stack up against other legendary finishes in the tournament’s storied past? Let’s break down some of the most iconic moments and see where this one lands.

1. Payne Stewart – 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst

Perhaps the most iconic putt in U.S. Open history came from Payne Stewart, who nailed a 15-footer for par on the 18th to win by one over Phil Mickelson. The pose—fist pump and outstretched leg—has since been immortalized in a statue at Pinehurst. What made it legendary wasn’t just the putt—it was the context: Stewart’s final major before his tragic death just months later.

Verdict: Iconic and emotional. Spaun’s putt was longer, but Stewart’s was more poetic.

2. Tiger Woods – 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines

Woods drained a 12-foot birdie on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate—while basically playing on one leg. That tournament went to sudden death after an 18-hole playoff, and Tiger prevailed. This was peak Tiger drama, pain and all.

Verdict: Spaun’s putt was longer, but Tiger’s win was sheer willpower and mystique.

3. Jack Nicklaus – 1972 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach

With a 1-iron shot that hit the flagstick on 17 and a crucial birdie putt on 18, Jack sealed a dominant win. His precision and timing under pressure showed why he’s the GOAT.

Verdict: Not a putt for the win, but a signature finishing statement from Jack. Spaun’s was more electric in terms of pure putter drama.

4. Ben Hogan – 1950 U.S. Open at Merion

Hogan’s 1-iron into the 18th fairway and the par to force a playoff—just 16 months after a near-fatal car crash—remain legendary. He won the playoff and completed one of golf’s great comeback stories.

Verdict: Larger-than-life comeback. Spaun’s putt had more flair, but Hogan’s win was heroic.

5. JJ Spaun – 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont

Let’s not underestimate what Spaun accomplished. The pressure was immense. He wasn’t the favorite. And on the most treacherous greens in golf, he buried a 64-foot bomb—a putt most players would be happy to lag to within 5 feet—to win the U.S. Open outright.

Verdict: For distance, surprise, and drama, Spaun’s putt may be the most shocking winning stroke in U.S. Open history.

Final Thoughts

JJ Spaun may not have the résumé of a Nicklaus or Woods, but for one Sunday afternoon in June 2025, he created a moment that will live in golf lore forever. Spaun’s putt was longer than Stewart’s, more unexpected than Tiger’s, and more dramatic than any final-hole finish in recent memory.

In terms of pure clutch putting? It might just be the greatest walk-off in U.S. Open history.

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The Zen of the Shank: Finding Inner Peace in Your Worst Shots

Find your inner peace even when you aren’t playing well.

Published

6 days ago

June 16, 2025

Ty Webb

Ah, the shank. That glorious, unpredictable misfire that sends your pristine golf ball screaming sideways, often directly into the unsuspecting shins of your playing partner, or perhaps, with a touch of poetic irony, into the very lake you’ve been trying to avoid all day. Most golfers, bless their earnest little hearts, view the shank as a catastrophic failure, a blight upon their scorecard, a testament to their inherent lack of coordination. They curse, they throw clubs, they contemplate a career in competitive thumb-wrestling. But not I. No, my friends, for I, Ty Webb, have found enlightenment in the humble shank.

You see, the shank is not a mistake; it’s a revelation. It’s the universe’s way of reminding you that control is an illusion, that perfection is a myth, and that sometimes, the most direct path to your goal is, in fact, a wildly indirect one. Think of it as a philosophical detour, a sudden, unexpected journey into the unknown. One moment, you’re aiming for the green, a paragon of precision and intent. The next, your ball is ricocheting off a tree, narrowly missing a squirrel, and landing, by some divine comedic intervention, closer to the hole than your perfectly struck drive ever would have. Is that not a miracle? Is that not a sign that the golf gods, much like life itself, have a wicked sense of humor?

The key, my dear apprentices of the links, is acceptance. Embrace the shank. Welcome it with open arms, like a long-lost, slightly inebriated relative. When that familiar, sickening thwack echoes through the air, do not despair. Instead, take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Feel the gentle breeze on your face. And then, with a knowing smile, open them and observe the chaos you have wrought. Is it not beautiful in its own chaotic way? Is there not a certain freedom in relinquishing control, in allowing the ball to choose its own destiny, however bizarre that destiny may be?

Some say the shank is a sign of poor technique. I say it’s a sign of a vibrant, untamed spirit. A golfer who never shanks is a golfer who has never truly lived, never truly explored the outer limits of their own golfing absurdity. They are content with mediocrity, with predictable trajectories and mundane outcomes. But you, my enlightened few, you understand that the true joy of golf lies not in the score, but in the story. And what a story a good shank can tell.

So, the next time you feel that familiar tremor of a shank brewing, don’t fight it. Let it flow. Let it be. For in the heart of every shank lies a lesson, a laugh, and perhaps, just perhaps, a path to a lower score you never saw coming. After all, as the great philosopher Basho once said, “A flute with no holes, is not a flute. A donut with no hole, is a Danish.” And a golf game without a shank? Well, that’s just not golf, is it?