DJ On 18

[justsomeguy]

I found this comment from "tourrulesofficial" on the FGI forum very interesting:

In my opinion the committee trapped players who found themselves in this situation. The committee erred in not deeming these waste areas (not waste bunkers) after roping the course the way they did and allowing spectators to walk and stand in them.
Yes, the player was at fault for not reading the local rules sheet, but only a handful ever do. I would guess that around 10 players in typical 156 field could honestly say they read the sheet and the committee knows this.
Unfortunately, this story has almost overshadowed Kaymer's win, at least in the US it has.

Pretty much sums up my opinion as well. The rules officials did their job, but the PGA didn't do theirs. Geez, there were still spectators standing in the "bunker" when DJ was playing his ball out of it!

[Big Johnny69]

The local rule also stipulated that the bunkers outside the ropes could contain shoe marks, tire marks and be unraked.

And that is part of my issue with this as well. For bunkers inside the ropes they will rake them in the morning and leave a rake for after a shot has been played from the bunker. For the ones outside the ropes, nothing. To me, that's a waste area/bunker. Take a look at Eagle Creek. Rakes beside bunkers, nothing next to waste areas.

Regardless, what's done is done. I'm sure DJ went home and banged his head against the wall a few times if he's not still doing it.

[PapaPat]

Just throwing this in to add a bit of perspective:

33-8/9 Local Rule Providing Relief from Damage to Bunkers Caused by Children
Q. Some holes are accessible to the general public, and children play in the bunkers leaving footprints, holes and sand castles.
May the Committee make a Local Rule allowing a player, without penalty, either to drop his ball outside a bunker damaged by children or to lift his ball from such damage, smooth out the sand and replace the ball?
A. No. This would be a modification of Rule 13-4.

[Kilroy]

So the argument is that not forcing professional players to read the local rules sheet provided for a major (or any other event) is tantamount to entrapment?
Nonsense. Those who didn't read the sheet are idiots. It's kinda important, no?

I found this comment from "tourrulesofficial" on the FGI forum very interesting:

In my opinion the committee trapped players who found themselves in this situation. The committee erred in not deeming these waste areas (not waste bunkers) after roping the course the way they did and allowing spectators to walk and stand in them.
Yes, the player was at fault for not reading the local rules sheet, but only a handful ever do. I would guess that around 10 players in typical 156 field could honestly say they read the sheet and the committee knows this.
Unfortunately, this story has almost overshadowed Kaymer's win, at least in the US it has.

Pretty much sums up my opinion as well. The rules officials did their job, but the PGA didn't do theirs. Geez, there were still spectators standing in the "bunker" when DJ was playing his ball out of it!

[Big Johnny69]

So the argument is that not forcing professional players to read the local rules sheet provided for a major (or any other event) is tantamount to entrapment?
Nonsense. Those who didn't read the sheet are idiots. It's kinda important, no?

I think the point Watney and Johnson were making is that they get so many of them over the course of the season, most are probably redundant so they don't bother to read them. Once again, not saying ignorance is an excuse, but it wouldn't surprise me if that was the case. Many of the course are very similar in set up, so a repetitive local rules sheet is most likely produced weekly.

Still, it was a costly mistake for DJ.

[Kilroy]

Ah, OK. As I said I as going from memory and that's what it looked like, but I probably wasn't looking at some point and messed up the exact sequence of events. Thanks for the clarification.

If you could see the replay Dan, when he first addresses his ball and grounds his club he suddenly steps away and points to the ground. His ball was originally in the shade then someone on the hill moves and makes sun appear which made him step away.

[justsomeguy]

I think the point Watney and Johnson were making is that they get so many of them over the course of the season, most are probably redundant so they don't bother to read them. Once again, not saying ignorance is an excuse, but it wouldn't surprise me if that was the case. Many of the course are very similar in set up, so a repetitive local rules sheet is most likely produced weekly.

Still, it was a costly mistake for DJ.

Yes, I think that was the point.

Most of us don't play tournament golf on a regular basis, so of course we would read the local rules cover-to-cover. Pros probably did too in their first year on tour. But most of these guys now play in 15-20 tournaments a year on the PGA tour and been have doing so for many years, and I'm sure the local rules are pretty much the same every week.

[AAA]

and I'm sure the local rules are pretty much the same every week.

The tours have all their standard LRs (and COCs) on what is called the Hard Card.
If there are any variations they are published separately and the player's attention is drawn to them. They are few and far between and are course specific. In the same way the players and and caddies get to know the course they are supposed to get to grips with 'local' Local Rules' before they play.