U.S. Open: Return To Walking Officials With All Groups

After seeing the USGA's revision to its U.S. Open rules setup at Erin Hills, I write for Golfweek that bringing back walking officials would be the prudent thing to do.

While there were no major rules situations, I know of one player whose playing partners were not paying attention to his ball as it entered the tall stuff at hole No. 1. But since there was a bit of a grey area there and no walking referee was there as you might find at The Open, NCAA's and many other events, the player had to play as if he lost his ball.

As I note in the piece, this is also a perk for those who put in long hours working less-glamorous events. It was embarrasing seeing them sitting in the rough or in those parade-viewing chairs and in awful red hats.

But mostly the change this year seemed like an odd reaction to 2016's events and without a referee in each group, will some day prove costly for a player.

Comments

[chico]

I can see the reason people think walking refs are better but I disagree.Over here the only walking ref events are the Open and matchplay events. In my view there simply arent enough refs available on any given week who are experienced enough and strong enough to stand up to the pressures of reffing a major. TV cameras in your face, crowds and aggressive professional players plus the magnitude of the occaision all add up to a situation where merely being good at the Rules is not enough. If you look at the majority of poor rulings in top events they have been done by guest or amateur refs. My friend who works for the European Tour overuled his non tour ref 3 times at the Open one year whilst acting as an observer. With the enormous pressure now put on refs by TV, slo-mo cameras and media in general I think it is best left to the professionals-and there arent 60+ available on any given week.(I dont class myself as a pro incidentally)

[Easingwold]

Agree Chico, can't have refs put into impossible situations like we have in football. TV must be used to back up the thankless job of refereeing

[Mark]

I have scored very high on the usga/PGA rules quize, granted not a 100 but 96 is pretty good in my book. When asked about working the Sr Am on my home state, was given the cold shoulder.

If we need people with more experience for the Open, they don't seem to want to foster new people

[RJ]

To be fair Mark, it takes more than a high score on the rules exam to make a good rules official. I too have a high score on the exam, but after officiating at numerous tournaments, I realize that experience and the opportunity to learn from other more seasoned officials, is more important. Chico's comments are correct, in my opinion.

[Fore]

Pathetic! Why don't we hit the ball for them as well?

[grainger]

Thanks to Geoff for his defense of the best Rules administration approach. Being use to having only six Rules officials at most events - and even those staying well away from play unless summoned - some Tour players do not like officials accompanying groups. The idea that there are not enough experienced officials is incorrect. Many USGA volunteers work more days (at local, state and regional events) than Tour officials and know the Rules better. The USGA's abandonment of walking Rules after decades of success was inexplicable except as a capitulation to a small number of complaining players. What leverage do these complainers have? Are they not going to play in the US Open? Instead of kowtowing to the Tour, the USGA should fulfill its role to do what is best. Furthermore, as Geoff suggested, these veteran officials deserve better treatment than being demoted to remote duty after having served faithfully and successfully for years.

[In the no]

@grainger +10

I've worked over fifty USGA championships and qualifiers and completely agree with your comments. The money managers on the Executive Committee are moving us from away from enforcing the game "in accordance with the Rules" and into the entertainment model of the PGA Tour. Forget about identifying the best golfer. It's now all about revenue stream, ROI, and rebranding the trademark. And ultimately the USGA and the tour will be like the pigs and the farmers at the end of Orwell's "Animal Farm": "...it was impossible to say which was which".

[Chico]

Sorry Grainger-I can't agree. Nearly all the Rules cock ups are caused by guest refs. There was another one on the European Tour today. Dustin Johnsons incident could have been avoided by better refereeing. So could Brandon Grace at Wentworth, etc, etc. Pure rule knowledge does not make a good ref in the field. I have been told by amateur refs- among other things- that I couldn't have the flag held up to indicate where the hole was, that I couldn't have relief from a staked tree because I was too far off the fairway and that I could have relief from an immovable obstruction in a hazard. I could go on!

[grainger]

Sorry chico but you are not dealing with experts on the Rules of golf but merely individuals with limited knowledge helping at events. Many of your professional Tour experts selectively enforce the Rules because they are making rulings for those who pay the bills. Many of them are not even close to the best Rules officials. You saw this at Quicken Loans when a Tour official did not know the correct options for a ball that remained in a water hazard after a stroke. He thought the only option was stroke and distance.