Rules Under Fire (Again): "We have a lot of stupid rules in golf."
Matthew Rudy on the Carl Pettersson violation Sunday at the PGA which led to a two-shot penalty. Here is the PGA of America's statement.
Pettersson was not pleased after the round:
"I double checked with the official to make sure I could brush the grass as long as I didn't put any weight on the ground with the clubhead, and he said sure," said Pettersson about his shot on the first hole. "I wish he would have mentioned the leaves, too. I was just trying to hit the ball. I didn't even think twice about it."
After getting the notification from Davis, Pettersson was visibly annoyed. "I've got to take it on the chin, obviously. I broke the rule there," said Petterson. "I don't think it effected the outcome of the shot. It's just one of those things. We have a lot of stupid rules in golf."
Rex Hoggard included this from Feherty:
Golf Channel’s David Feherty, who was the walking analyst with the group on Sunday, was more pointed in his assessment of the rule.
“Why don’t professional golfers make rules for professional golfers?” Feherty asked. “We’re the only sport that allows amateurs (to make rules). It’s not working for me if a guy is trying to make a living. A major championship may have hung in the balance.
“That (rule) is designed so an amateur doesn’t drag his club back and make a channel for themselves. What do you think would happen if a pro did that out there? I think we can account for that. How are you supposed to make a backswing? Use the club like a spear?”
Still no video of it on YouTube or PGA.com's PGA Championship site. If anyone sees an online version of the violation, please post a link.
Geoff
Reader Comments (56)
.
It's amusing that no one ever gets angry when a pro is allowed to use a rule to his advantage, only when there is penalty.
Also, for those who feel the current rules can be shortened and simplified. . . if it's so easy, go for it! Go ahead and submit an alternate set or rules - shorter, simpler, fairer.
Tiger's rock at Phoenix ring a bell?
Those who defend the rules are to be commended, but those who see the rules as a dynamic body of work , to be changed as life demands are to be praised equally. HD cameras were not around when these rules were written."
agree. the spirit of the rule and the intent of the golfer play into it for me. i would never call anyone on this sort of crap in a match play event.
Imagine that, trying to honor the spirit of the rule and really understanding what action really deserves 2 strokes of punishment.
Imagine someone trying to look past the "letter of the law" (shows the danger of trying to codify common sense). It reminds me of the West Wing story about opposition to the Bill of Rights - "If we list a set of rights, some fools in the future are going to claim the people are entitled only to those rights enumerated and no others."
I know everyone is so concerned about the anarchy and chaos that may reign if we allow Rules officials to exercise a little discretion & common sense. So we'd rather handcuff them to the unintended consequences of literal interpretation of an attempt to codify a logical principal.
@nobackswing - While I appreciate that you are trying the honor the spirit of the game and practice good sportsmanship by not punishing him for something that was never intended, I hope you don't let your opponent know you "let it go." Otherwise, I regret to inform you that you'd both be disqualified from the match under Rule 1-3 (because that's what's most important).
I stand corrected.