WORST RULES IN GOLF | what would you change?

[@johnshaw2858]

How do you define a divot? Will it not slow down play deciding what or what isn't a divot......

[@drumcatnau]

You don't have to. LCP 150mm at all times.

[@rikh78]

Hi Mark - any tips for hitting off winter mats as many of us in the UK are forced to do. Thanks

[@ShawnBiddle]

The Model Local Rule E-5 was the one added recently that said instead of taking an OB tee shot stroke and distance back to the tee you can take 2 strokes and drop it in the fairway. Huge addition that not many people and even fewer clubs know about.

[@julia-6195]

Also works for lost balls. It's for non-tournament play and even if your club doesn't have it in effect, you can use it and post the round for handicap purposes according to the USGA. It's been around for a couple of years.

[@ducatidad8231]

My club actively doesn’t allow it. Which is a shame: I’ve ruined many a card by not finding a ball and, because of the game behind, nit really feeling I can walk back and hit another

[@ducatidad8231]

Divots: imagine how long the pro game will take when they are calling the ref every shot because that but of ground scuff is ‘a divot’. Pitch mark on fairway I get

[@therealdavidowens76]

It's annoying having to play from a fresh 2 inch deep unrepaired divot, but I think the problem lies in then setting a parameter on what qualifies as a divot....how old/new must the divot be? How deep? Divot in rough relief too? Who ultimately decides? do we have to have a group decision? In casual non qualifying games I'll say to someone to move it if they want, we out there to have fun ultimately!

[@dannyhillebrand]

Consider this: I can make a local rule for when I hit it OB that I can take a drop. Yet if I hit in bounds (sometimes even in the fairway) and can't find it, I have to go back to the tee.

[@neiltaylor1765]

Tee boxes reflecting gender and not ability

[@rynohuey3680]

I thought that changed awhile ago? I could be wrong with that but where I grew up playing (and still play this way) it was by handicap.

[@neiltaylor1765]

@@rynohuey3680 not across all clubs and rare in competitions

[@paulgolfer]

Paul This water or penalty area is half and half . YELLOW STAKES before where it crossed but in line with the flag ok .Now you can ground your club but not drop out to the side 2 club lengths . I THOUGHT IT WAS BLUE NO PLAY AND NOW RED ONLY , NOT YELLOW AS AT OUR CLUB . DIVOTS well they are easy to get out of just come down steeply into back of the ball magic .

[@drumcatnau]

The best rule that doesn't exist is that non-handicap or 25+ should be off forward tees only.

[@krusher74]

its gonna take 20 years before they arnt "ladies tees" and old men will play them, Some old men i play with are hard to get to play greens!! and then cant make a par 4 green in 2 from those, making the game not fun for themselves. the PGA has a play it forward campaign

[@justinmills556]

I find un-raked bunkers more of a problem than playing out of a divot. Happens way more and if you’re caught not raking it’s a 2 stroke penalty or loss of hole in match play.

[@paulgolfer]

Paul, we have ladies playing in our comps but !! they play from Red we play yellow and works out because of slope index they gain 4 shots 3 curtesy shots and 95% IS THIS FARE .

[@joeperez3520]

The problem with relief from divots is that you can't tell with absolute certainty when the grass in the divot has grown enough so that it is no longer a divot. Might as well just create the rule that you may always drop within one club length, no closer to the hole, regardless of the ball's current lie. I agree that stroke-and-distance is absurd. It's bad enough that you have to hit a second shot from the same spot, why add insult to injury with an additional penalty stroke?

[@FrankBrickle]

Didn't see the original query. Easy: Stroke and Distance for OOB. I've never been particularly bothered by playing out of divots.

[@bernardpayne2882]

3.3b(4) - player must put handicap on card. Fine… provided the committee doesn’t apply it to Greensomes (which isn’t even a thing in the rules) when they’ve provided the playing handicap! (Guess who got burned).

[@duncanhamilton3286]

Just catching up on my viewing of this channel. The whole buying drinks for a hole in one thing is similar to the rule in cricket that you have to buy drinks if take a hat-trick of wickets as a bowler. I know so many bowlers who would bowl a bad ball on purpose if they were on a hat-trick, just to get out of it! The traditions of both sports are often embedded in the upper and middle classes where that kind of money might not be such an issue. Both so outdated!

[@2000yurien]

3:21 If I were to change this rule, it would be as follow: if a player realize his opponent is teeing off at an incorrect area, the player must warn the opponent before the stroke is made. If the player fails to warn the opponent before the stroke is made, the stroke will be regarded as legitimate and no penalty stroke will be incurred. Penalty stroke can only be incurred if the opponent fail to correct his teeing position after the player's warning.

[@Errburritoes]

I played two weeks ago and I had 3 ball's in divots two from the fairway and I don't hit many fairways, I wouldn't know about the hole in one rule never had one

[@markhunneman2224]

Dropping from 'knee height or above' rather than just 'knee height' to make the process easier and more comfortable

[@lloydwilliams4368]

You have to count every shot. Even the crummy ones. Also, no mulligans. )

[@paulgolfer]

Mark , Paul, ACCORDING to a video from January 2023 your not allowed more than 3 PUTTS . SO WHAT IS A PUTT ?? if I am on the fringe and use the putter that is not a putt for me ON THE GREEN IS A PUTT is it not !!!!?

[@drumcatnau]

The worst rules are the ones that make you go backwards to your prior location. It slows the entire field. In today's game, this should NEVER be allowed; it costs golf courses actual money. Also it's not just divots -- LCP 150mm/6" from the fairway should be a permanent rule. Agree with leaf rule, too -- if it's known/virtually certain, toss a ball over your shoulder, and no closer, in the same lie.

[@ChrisShanks2709]

Solution to the divot issue (not sure why people get so animated over it though) - should get a penalty for not replacing your divot

[@paulgolfer]

Paul Mark great videos . Now I suggested to the club to scrap colour tees, REPLACE THEM WITH ABILITY TEES, Tough if your plus up to 14 back tee 15 to 24 middle tee and 25 and above front tee if a bloke tough if a woman same , no sex tee just ABILITY .

[@royclose946]

If you move the ball when you pull a twig or move a stone absolutely ridiculous rule

[@matthewjarvis9241]

If I hit a driver and then play an iron as a safety provisional. Having to go up and search up the fairway rather than play the shorter shot up to where the drive might be

[@edanzore]

You keep playing until you think you have passed where the driver probably landed

[@pschilleru]

Relief from green side sprinkler heads preventing you from putting.

[@ChrisShanks2709]

Pretty sure you get relief if its on your line of play/stance and within 2 club lengths from the edge of the green. Im sure somebody in the comments will confirm/correct this.

[@drumcatnau]

@@ChrisShanks2709 This is only if a local rule is in place. There's no relief from off the green unless it affects your stance or impact. You aren't entitled to ground line relief unless you're already on the green. Many local rules will say if the sprinkler head is within 2 club lengths, and your ball is within 2CL, you have 1CL no closer relief, assuming you are in closely mown.

[@toddrussell8591]

Not sure this is the right place for the question but; You often talk about getting individual clubs fit for golfers. Is there a market for people who can't afford new clubs to have their current clubs re-fit to adjust loft/lie etc to them? Or is the golf industry too focused on selling so called 'better' clubs rather than helping golfers get better?

[@krusher74]

A fitting does not mean you have to buy, you can get current clubs optomized at a fitting. A gapping session is good for current bag too.

[@dathyr1]

Throw the book of rules away!!!!! I would play no particular rules and just have fun - common sense. It is just getting exercise for me now anyway. My Competition years are long gone now.

[@Adrian-yv8sy]

for the divots - my opinion is you get relief from a rabbit/badger scrapping but not a divot - getting punished for a good shot also why do i have to wear white socks with short? ha

[@SolomonLi]

LOL… Divots in the fairway. I get it but that’s supposed to be a skill right? I think just cleaning up certain things like…the drop. Knee drops are just funny. The out of bounds rule is definitely something that should go. Just the idea of going back to the tee to hit a shot after you’ve lost one is not exactly ideal…even with the editing on TV. So why slow down play?

[@Gigity1107]

I must have played 40 rounds this year and don't think I've played from a divot once.

[@seegarsmkr]

I think that the straddle rule is pretty ridiculous, especially with a non-putter. Not sure why the rule exists.

[@richardabram4596]

I've never had a bad lie and probably never will. There's nothing a little nudge won't fix

[@lloydwilliams4368]

Just like Donald "Pele" Trump. Best kicker in golf.

[@rickgray2465]

Nothing wrong with a little foot wedge now and then

[@neiltaylor1765]

The divot rule has never bothered me, everyone is happy when they hit a tree and bounces into the fairway, landing in a divot is luck of the draw

[@sheedy9]

That's getting lucky from a bad shot. It's nothing alike.

[@neiltaylor1765]

@Patrick Sheedy so you'll take good luck but not bad? Bit hypocritical choosing the luck you want

[@msalzberg4962]

A tree is part of the course; a divot was a change to the course made by a competitor. There's a difference.

[@PFunkChang]

Don’t be a retard like Neil

[@paulgolfer]

Paul W.H.S. why should we be penalised 95% before teeing up. say 18 h/c off back tee we gain a shot but 95% so no its back to 18 off yellow 18 with 95% becomes 17 even in stableford 95% .Also why does Handicap rise in 0.4 drop in 0.4 , then say 17.2 is 17 but 17.3 is 18 makes no sense . I do not play in comps anymore there is too much pratting about before you start . yes stupid system

[@sausagembape677]

Pay and play , municipal type courses, forget divots, it's that absolutely ridiculous lie, in what I call the fairway rough, so much more common for the less wealthy golfer ..just common sense. Mud on the ball, again so much more common if you're not playing thousands of pounds. Hits the fairway picks up the huge lump of mud , jumps sideways into the edge of the rough, no second cut, unplayable. Ridiculous.

[@ChrisShanks2709]

Worst rule in golf is the double bogey rule for handicap purposes, It is an unnecessary extra buffer for handicap golfers.

[@edanzore]

Nope

[@markthegolfaddict9051]

In the event of slow play, the group behind you can shoot paintballs at you

[@rickgray2465]

That would work only if that group in front is allowed to fire real amo back 😁

[@markthegolfaddict9051]

@@rickgray2465 no they need to speed up

[@markcook4693]

At our club when you get a hole in one you get to ask for 1 drink from each member of the club. There's supposed to be a book (it's been lost) that you keep track on and if you ask someone you've already gotten a drink from you have to buy them one. This goes on until there's no one left to ask or someone else gets a hole in one.

[@albertsneed8263]

The problem is what is classified as a divot?

[@albertsneed8263]

Is it a hole or a divy

[@philipmullan5348]

i mean the divot in the fairway one is obvious. it's in the name. "fair"way. not really fair having to play out of some lazy sods divot

[@GreenDistantStar]

I'd get rid of every rule governing design and manufacture of clubs and balls. We're close to peak performance anyway, a 600cc driver wouldn't change anyone's game, so why bother?

[@drumcatnau]

You might be surprised. Play an illegal ball sometime...

[@GreenDistantStar]

@@drumcatnau I have, and they don't change much. The Polara will certainly stay straight, but you give up a lot for that. If there's things out there that could radically improve our game but the rules prohibit them, I'd like to know what they are.

[@SweenBeanUK]

Ban 4 balls on the weekends. 18 holes should not take 4 hours+.

[@krusher74]

whos going to make up for all the lost revenue for green fees?

[@gregormckinney621]

Internal out of bounds

[@chriswhite83]

Too much whining about divots! Golf’s played on a natural surface, you don’t always get a perfect lie, even if you’re in the Fairway.

[@grahamtomlin3272]

Internal out of bounds, what is that all about?