News

The 6 Most Ridiculous Rules in Golf

Published

1 month ago

June 12, 2024

Let’s get these changed ASAP huh Fellas?

Remember Dustin Johnson pleading to a rules official during the final round of the 2016 U.S. Open. I had his back and most of the world did too.

They say you can’t fix stupid, but you are able to complain about it and hopefully get it changed. Golf, this game we love, there is plenty of senselessness to go around. Witness the Rules of Golf, an encyclopedic catalog of do’s and don’ts that often fall beyond the bounds of reality

For argument’s sake, here’s our take on six of the dumbest rules in the most beloved sport on the planet. OK, maybe I am biased, but the game is pretty old and may need a little botox here and there. Just Sayin’

1. The Dreaded “DJ Rule

In the official ledger, it’s Rule 18-2. But ever since the 2016 U.S. Open, it’s more widely recognized as that *&%$!!!-ing Dustin Johnson Rule. You know, that nonsensical one under which the eventual tournament winner was slapped with a one-shot penalty for supposedly causing his ball to move a nano-millimeter on the 5th green. Never mind that he clearly didn’t intend to set the ball in motion, or that the micro-movement gave him no discernible advantage. The punishment stood. But we shouldn’t have to stand for it in the future. How about this? Next time around, no harm, no foul. Move the ball back, end of story!

2. No Relief from Sand-Filled Divots – In the fairway?

Let’s see if we understand correctly: if we spray a tee shot off-line and our ball winds up in the ground under repair zone, we’re entitled to relief. But if we smoke one down the middle and it settles in a sand-filled crater left behind by another golfer, we’re doomed to play it as it lies. That ground we landed in happened to be damaged. Someone tried to repair it. Sounds to us like… the ground is under repair. Now Im no genius, but are you following me here?

2. The “DROP”

You’d think that hitting a shot into a hazard would be punishment enough. But you’d be wrong. Under the Rules of Golf, the dogged victim then has to go through the tedious ritual known as the drop, which brings other potential rules infractions into play. If the dropped ball moves closer to the hole (as it so often does) twice, the player gets to place it. So why not just allow placement from the start? It would spare the player undue pain, and save the rest of us a lot of time.

3. Stroke & Distance

In American jurisprudence, it’s known as double jeopardy, a procedural defense that protects us from being prosecuted twice for the same crime. Sounds reasonable, right? No such safeguard exists for a golfer who bangs a ball into oblivion, only to be slapped with a stroke penalty on top of loss of distance. That’s two punishments for one misdeed, and it’s unjust by any measure. We, the people, call for a one-stroke penalty and lateral relief. Motion Carries!

4. Sprinkler Head in Your Putting Line

Your approach shot lands pin high, just on the collar, and a straightforward putt awaits, with just one problem: a sprinkler head lies in your putting line. Common sense suggests that you should get relief, no closer to the hole; a sprinkler head, after all, is a man-made impediment. But common sense apparently has no place here. Your only hope is that the course you’re playing has a local rule that allows line-of-play relief from immovable obstructions within two club lengths of the green, which, let’s be reasonable here, should really be the rule that governs all play.

5. Five Minutes for a Lost Ball – Really?

That lax allowance dates back to a bygone era, when life moved at a pastoral pace and golfers had the luxury of lollygagging. This is the modern age. Chop, chop, time’s a-wasting. We’ve got cat videos to watch and vapid tweets to send. The game needs to adapt. And besides, if you can’t find that errant ball in two minutes, you probably don’t want to in the first place. It will be under a rock or in a bush but with just enough clearance that those 9 deadly words are uttered “I think I can get a club on it”

6. Cant move a ball from a footprint in a bunker – This one Grinds my Gears

It might make sense on Tour, where players all have caddies and the grounds are as well-groomed as the gardens of Versailles. But many of the courses we mortals play are under-tended and trod upon by etiquette-flouting chops who don’t even attempt to rake up their mess, creating hazards within hazards. The more sensible alternative: if your ball lands in a footprint in a bunker, move it and place it elsewhere in the sand. Done, End of rant. You may go about your business.

News

“It Was A Great Day Until It Wasn’t”

Published

2 weeks ago

July 10, 2024

John McGrath

We all remember the images of Rory McIlroy, head bowed in the scoring area at Pinehurst, as Bryson DeChambeau putted out to win the US Open immediately followed by he and his caddie Harry Diamond trunk slamming on the way out of town. McIlroy refused to speak to the press about his two missed short putts on both 16 and 18. Until today.

Speaking at his press conference at the Genesis Scottish Open Rory finally answered the questions that every reporter wanted to ask following the meltdown at Pinehurst. He also address the criticisms that both Hank Haney and Smylie Kaufmann raised last week about Rory’s choice of caddy.

4th Round at Pinehurst

With respect to the final round at the US Open McIlroy was very candid. “[I]t was a great day until it wasn’t. I did things on that Sunday that I haven’t been able to do the last couple of years. Took control of the golf tournament. Holed putts when I needed to… mostly when I needed to (with a slight laugh).” “It was a tough day. A tough few days after that.” “I look back on that day…I’ll learn a lot from it and I’ll hopefully put that to good use. It’s something that’s been a bit of a theme throughout my career and I’ve been able to take those tough moments and turn them into great things not very long after that.”

Haney, Kaufman Criticize Harry Diamond

Hank Haney, once the coach of Tiger Woods, and Smylie Kaufman, a former tour pro and now commentator, both publicly questioned Rory’s choice of caddy following Pinehurst. Haney questioned McIlroy using his friend Harry Diamond rather than a more professional looper like veteran Steve Williams. Kaufman was quoted as saying, “I felt like Harry Diamond really should have stepped in on the 15th hole.” “I don’t really ever see Harry stepping in a ton. Rory always, if he has a question, he’ll ask, but for the most part, Rory kind of goes and does his thing…”

Rory didn’t mince words defending Diamond during his interview. “You know, it’s certainly unfair. Hank Haney has never been in that position. Smylie has been in that position once…I just wish that you know, these guys that criticize when things don’t go my way, they never say anything good when things do go my way. So where were they when I won Dubai earlier this year or Quail Hollow or the two FedEx Cups that I’ve won with Harry or the two Ryder Cups or whatever? They are never there to say Harry did such a great job when I win…”

Rory seems motivated. He might lap the Scottish Open field this week.

News

Keegan Bradley Surprise Pick to Captain 2025 Ryder Cup Team

Published

2 weeks ago

July 9, 2024

John McGrath

In a move nobody saw coming, the PGA of America selected Keegan Bradley to Captain the 2025 Ryder Cup being hosted by Bethpage State Park on the heralded Black Course. Ever since the US was trounced by the Europeans in Rome last fall most on this side of the pond presumed Tiger Woods, winner of the 2002 US Open at Bethpage, would be named the US Captain. Bradley, a 6 time winner on the PGA Tour (including the 2011 PGA Championship), at 39 becomes the youngest US Ryder Cup Captain in 40 years.

A Surprise Even for Keegan

How shocking was the Bradley pick? Keegan never interviewed for the position. He received a call Monday from 2023 Captain Zach Johnson, PGA of America President John Lindert and PGA of America Special Advisor Seth Waugh offering him the position. “I didn’t have one conversation with anybody until I was told I was the captain” said Keegan at his introductory news conference today. “I had trouble when they called me. I felt funny after the call because I don’t think I reacted in the way they were expecting me to. I was in complete shock. And it was heavy.” “I don’t think I’ll ever have a bigger surprise in my live, but something Seth said to me was, you know, ‘Your number was called. It’s time for you to step up.’ And when he told me that, I sort of…it sort of hit me. You know that this is a heavy job.”

Bradley’s Bethpage Connections

There probably isn’t a US professional more familiar with the Black Course. While from New England, Keegan attended and played golf at St. John’s University in nearby Queens, New York. During the time he played for St. John’s there was a poorly kept secret that the SJU team had access to the Black to practice weekly. Former St. John’s coach Frank Darby and former Director of Agronomy (superintendent) Craig Currier had an arrangement by which the SJU team would park at the maintenance building lot on the opposite side of Round Swamp Road from the clubhouse on Mondays when the Black is closed. As long as the team members only played holes 3 through 14 and didn’t cross Round Swamp, nobody would be the wiser. Of course, there was that one time…”my senior year we were playing…and we were just like, ‘we’re going over.’ “We did it. We went over. And we got in so much trouble. They called the police…”

News

Two to Watch at the Rocket Mortgage

15 Year Old Miles Russell and Golf Galaxy Employee Nick Bienz Make PGA Tour Debuts

Published

1 month ago

June 26, 2024

John McGrath

This week the PGA Tour heads to Detroit Golf Club for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, the first event in a month that is neither a Major nor a Signature Event. Defending Champion Rickie Fowler leads a field that features Tom Kim, runner up in a playoff at the Travelers, playing for the ninth consecutive week. Other top players teeing it up include Akshay Bhatia, Cam Young and Australian Olympian Min Woo Lee.

Two competitors to watch this week are two who are making their first swings in a PGA Tour event. One is making his first appearance above the state championship level. 15 year old Miles Russell became the youngest competitor to make the cut on the Korn Ferry Tour earlier this season. Golf Galaxy employee Nick Bienz made it through Monday qualifying to earn his way into the 156 player field.

Miles Russell – Sponsor’s Exemption

Most golf fans had never heard of Miles Russell until April when he became the youngest player to make the cut in a Korn Ferry Tour event, finishing T-20 at the LECOM Suncoast Classic. The AJGA Player of the Year and winner of the Junior PGA Championship and Junior PLAYERS will make his PGA Tour debut this week on a sponsor’s exemption. People are already comparing the 135 pound Russell to Tiger Woods. In today’s day and age it is not surprising that he already has NIL deals with both Taylor Made and Nike.

Nick Bienz – Monday Qualifier with a Buzz

Nick Bienz arrived at Monday qualifying for the Rocket Mortgage with nothing more than his clubs and the clothes he was wearing. Bienz had never played in an event above the state open level and his job at Golf Galaxy allows him to maintain his professional status. Thanks to a story broken by Ryan Francis, (Monday Q Info on X @acaseofthegolf1), Nick will be the golfer to root for this week.

Bienz teed off early on Monday and surprised himself by shooting a 65. Nervous to see if he actually was going to live his dream and play in a PGA Tour event, he had a beer as he watched the scores come in. Then a second. And a third. His 65 didn’t quite get him into the field. The 65 got him into a 5 for 4 playoff. According to Monday Q Info, the fans were drunk and boisterous as they watched the 8 holes needed to finalize the field. Nick had a few in him as the playoff commenced. When it ended he had played his way into his first PGA Tour start.