Viewer call ins

[Farzin]

agree 110%:

but is application of the rulles the same at all courses with the condition of some courses being worth than a cows pasture.??

[1972Apex]

I think this thread has pretty much reached the 'who cares anymore' point. Gary is obviously not going to change his opinion and neither is anyone else. We're just going around in circles now....

[Kilroy]

Gary's "opinion" is kinda irrelevant. He is an RCGA official who's mandate here is to explain the rules, not to justify them.
Getting him to state that a rule is silly just isn't gonna happen.

[Colby]

agree 110%:

but is application of the rulles the same at all courses with the condition of some courses being worth than a cows pasture.??

I firmly believe that if you are playing an official round, and by an official round I mean one that will be used to generate an official RCGA handicap, you should follow all of the rules. For better or worse.

If you are playing any other type of round, a practice round, a fun round with the guys, etc, then you can do what you want. From what I have read Gary doesn't have a problem with this. And if for whatever reason you enter them into a system to track official handicaps, you are creating an incorrect handicap, which will usually be worse for you because the scores using modified rules are generally better.

For instance, the modified rules that we use on the OGT make the handicaps we use unofficial. We can't use these handicaps entering sanctioned tournaments, but we can use them to compare one golfer to another on the OGT. If the OGT were to become a Club Without Real Estate, then we would have to follow all the rules (or should for official handicapping) even when we play on a cow pasture.

Another option is to play higher end courses where conditioning is better.

[Farzin]

I still love you Colby. Have some on me please.

[Slammin' Stever]

As gary quoted below,

"I agree 100% that the Rule applied to Azinger is BOGUS!!!"

However could this rule be in placed to actually protect a player???

Picture this senario. The last group is playing the 18th hole tide for the lead. Over a million dollars is on the line. One player is on the green the other is in the rough chipping for a birdie.

The player chips his ball towards the hole. His caddie is not attending the flag. As the ball approaches the hole the opponents caddie decides to remove the flag...is the player who chipped accessed the penalty and looses the tournament???


Or what about if the same senario was being played out but the player was putting on the green and the opponents caddie grabs the flag with the appearance of pulling the flag before the ball reaches the hole.

With over a million on the line he hesitates to remove it in time. The ball hits the pin. Would the player putting be accessed the penalty and loose the tournament???

Definately something to reflect on!

This may sound a little far fetched but with a million dollars on the line for a newbie player looking for his first win (or anybody else) and an exemption it may be very tempting, and look at the "can of worms " it would open for the rules committee.

I have seen players whiff the ball putting a 2 inch putt on T.V. and say that there was no intent to hit the ball.

I think as much as this rule seems stupid it is there for the integrity of the game. Clear, cut and dry your caddie does not touch the flag when your opponents ball is moving.

Just a thought!

Stever