I think it’s human nature to dislike change. Changing the Rules of Golf or implementing a new Local Rule is no different. The human mind likes normality, and we learn by doing. I think I’ve stated publically that 2019 is going to be a real test of our resistance to change. The proposed rule book will be condensed and a lot of penalties are going to be reduced or eliminated. Things like allowable methods for dropping a ball will be changed. From the outside looking in, many golf writers have applauded the changes – I guess because it’ll make the game easier to understand for the casual fan of the game. For us that play the game, however, there will be some growing pains.
Confusion over rules and rule changes can be quite frustrating. I was talking to my Mom a few months ago about an incident they’d had down in Florida. Mom’s a snow bird now and spends the cold winter months in Venice, Florida where she has quite a few golf buddies. When she gets back home to Pennsylvania in the spring, her golf skills are sharp and she has fun showing off in front of her northern friends. One of her Florida golf buds is the husband of one of her best friends. One day they’re playing as a threesome when a single comes up behind them. Mom asked Ronny if they should let the single play through their group, to which Ronny says “A single has no standing.” The poor guy played behind them for the rest of the round.
“A single has no standing” is almost verbatim from Rule books up to at least 2001. Here it is, from “Priority on the Course” in the introduction section from 2001: “In the absence of special rules, two-ball matches should have precedence over and be entitled to pass any three- or four-ball match, which should invite them through. A single player has no standing and should give way to a match of any kind.” So, if Ronny was playing in 2001, he would be correct. Or if Ronny hadn’t read the rule books published more recently, he’s RIGHT IN HIS OWN MIND. Here’s what the rule book says about Priority on the Course in 2017 (and I don’t know when the change was made). “Unless otherwise determined by the committee, priority on the course is determined by a group’s pace of play. The term “group” includes a single player.” Ronny’s now dead wrong.
This is a simple example of why I dislike changes in rules. It only adds to the confusion. Things that are ingrained and learned have to be erased and unlearned. Human beings have a hard time doing that. For those of us who’ve played as a single, we run into both types of groups. Some wave you up and through and are only too glad to see you on your way, but others have adopted Ronny’s attitude because they think they have the rule book on their side.
I brought up another similar issue a few weeks ago. Someone was already trying to use the 2019 rules to drop a ball from less than shoulder height. They’d probably read about the proposed rule and thought it was already allowed.
If you like or don’t like one of the proposed rules, or if you’re with me in thinking that making wholesale changes to the rule book is going to create chaos, the USGA and R&A want to hear from you. I filled out their survey yesterday afternoon on the USGA website (under the Rules section) while watching the Senior U.S. Open. Speaking of that event, Kirk Triplett got free relief from a sprinkler head (an immovable obstruction) near the 8th or 9th green on Sunday. The only impact of the sprinkler head was to his stance, and even then, I didn’t think there was much of an impact. Seemed like the sprinkler head was not being touched by either foot, but he did seek relief and it was granted. Using his driver as the one club length, Kirk then had the option to drop his ball on the green, but since this was a Donald Ross design, the ball bounced off and back into the fringe. (In 2019, I’m thinking relief from the obstruction would allow the player to drop with 20 inches (one of two new measurement standards that will probably be adopted) of the nearest point of relief, but he would be allowed to drop from any height. 20 inches probably wouldn’t have been a point on the green, but I’m guessing Kirk would probably drop the ball from only a few inches above the grass, and he’d probably end up with a very similar location to play his shot.)
Speaking of sprinkler heads, a very common issue crops up with these – your ball lies in the fringe and you’d like to putt it, but there’s a sprinkler head right on your intended line of play that you’d have to roll the ball through. Are you entitled to relief from this immovable obstruction because of the line of play? Unfortunately (unless there is a local rule adopted), No. Putt it through the sprinkler head or chip over it. Relief from immovable obstructions (even Ground Under Repair) is only granted for stance or swing relief – not line of play, and I think that’ll still be true in 2019.