PGA Championship

[Cunning Runt]

I get it. Rules are rules, blah blah blah...

 

But gimme a break. That thing they called a "bunker" was nothing of the sort. There were people all around it, in it (before he hit). Just looked like some sandy dirt.

 

In my opinion, golf's rules are too stringent and this just magnified it for me.

[dmarc117]

it was a course rule. and was in a rules handout that was given to every player.

[tazinib1]

In a twist or irony, the PGA rules committee had this rule on the docket for review this week.

 

What jumped out at me, was the extremely subdued applause that the German received after tapping out to win. The gallery was OBVIOUSLY in favor of Bubba. I havn't heard a golf clap like that for a Major Champion....well...ever.

[Cunning Runt]

it was a course rule. and was in a rules handout that was given to every player.

 

I'm aware of that and Johnson himself admitted afterward he didn't read that handout closely enough.

 

Doesn't change my opinion though. I do feel some of golf's rules are stupid and impractical and I play a lot of golf.

[BillyBalata]

it was a course rule. and was in a rules handout that was given to every player.

 

This.

 

When they approached him on the green after he finished the hole to let him know about the rules violation and the tv guys were talking about it, my reaction was the same as most everybodys, you have to be freakin' kidding me!

 

But once they had the PGA rules guy on camera and he explained that it was a local rule and it was the NUMBER ONE ITEM on the rules sheet they handed out to every player and was posted all over the locker room....I felt a little differently then.

[i_am_the_swammi]

Doesn't change my opinion though. I do feel some of golf's rules are stupid and impractical and I play a lot of golf.

 

The one that states "you have to get your ball in the hole in a certain number of strokes for it to be a par" really bugs me.

[Cunning Runt]

The one that states "you have to get your ball in the hole in a certain number of strokes for it to be a par" really bugs me.

 

Ha!

 

I hear you. That one gets me too. That's why I just write down birdie or eagle every time regardless what I actually got.

[Hugh 0ne]

Couldn't disagree more. In the game of golf, rules, etiquette, honesty, etc., are the foundation of the sport. He broke a rule, it's really that simple. How can you justify not penalizing him for clearly breaking a rule?

[Square]

I guess I just don't understand the competitive advantage a person would get from "grounding their club" in a bunker. I'm more weekend hack than anything so maybe I'm missing it. Just seems kind of ridiculous to me.

[Cunning Runt]

Couldn't disagree more. In the game of golf, rules, etiquette, honesty, etc., are the foundation of the sport. He broke a rule, it's really that simple. How can you justify not penalizing him for clearly breaking a rule?

 

We're talking a little apples to oranges here. My issue with it is not the fact he got penalized for breaking a rule. It's the rule itself in this particular instance.

 

If they were going to classify that as an area where you could get penalized for grounding your club, they should have kept people away from it. And a "quirk of that course" type rule doesn't cut it IMO.

[tazinib1]

The one that states "you have to get your ball in the hole in a certain number of strokes for it to be a par" really bugs me.

 

 

Sounds like a Henry Muto'ism.

[wildcat2334]

This.

 

When they approached him on the green after he finished the hole to let him know about the rules violation and the tv guys were talking about it, my reaction was the same as most everybodys, you have to be freakin' kidding me!

 

But once they had the PGA rules guy on camera and he explained that it was a local rule and it was the NUMBER ONE ITEM on the rules sheet they handed out to every player and was posted all over the locker room....I felt a little differently then.

 

 

yep -a no brainer. The course has 1000+ sand traps, it was a point of emphasis on the rule sheet.

 

His caddie blew it and I would have fired him on the spot - that is a pretty simple part of his job...........

[buddahj]

I thought he got hosed to...until I found out that they posted the "bunker" rule in the locker room.

[Hugh 0ne]

We're talking a little apples to oranges here. My issue with it is not the fact he got penalized for breaking a rule. It's the rule itself in this particular instance.

 

If they were going to classify that as an area where you could get penalized for grounding your club, they should have kept people away from it. And a "quirk of that course" type rule doesn't cut it IMO.

 

I see, but I still disagree. As has been mentioned by several posters, this "course specific" rule was made pretty clear to the players. It's not like he was tricked by some obscure unwritten rule, he clearly broke a rule that was clearly defined by the rule book and was posted in the locker room because it is a somewhat course specific rule. You need to know the course rules as a golfer, he didn't. I do agree that some of golf's rules are a little peculiar (I never got the one about having to sign your scorecard after the round before it's official), but thems the rules, and ya gots to play by 'em.

[TimC]

yep -a no brainer. The course has 1000+ sand traps, it was a point of emphasis on the rule sheet.

 

His caddie blew it and I would have fired him on the spot - that is a pretty simple part of his job...........

 

Didn't they say his regular caddie's wife had just had a baby (or something) and was missing that week?

[Seattle LawDawg]

I see, but I still disagree. As has been mentioned by several posters, this "course specific" rule was made pretty clear to the players. It's not like he was tricked by some obscure unwritten rule, he clearly broke a rule that was clearly defined by the rule book and was posted in the locker room because it is a somewhat course specific rule. You need to know the course rules as a golfer, he didn't. I do agree that some of golf's rules are a little peculiar (I never got the one about having to sign your scorecard after the round before it's official), but thems the rules, and ya gots to play by 'em.

 

No doubt about it, the ruling was correct and no other option was possible at that point. The rule, however, is pure crap and they should have addressed it differently from the start. I didn't hear of any other instances during the tournament where this was an issue, however. There's no question that a lot of this falls on DJ's shoulders. At the very least, he should have noted it enough to give it a second thought, which by his own admission, he did not. I haven't played Whistling Straights, but the closest example I can think of is a couple of the Bandon Dunes courses....built on sand, next to the ocean. There are definitely bunkers but there is far more sand. You still think about where you are every time you're addressing a ball.

 

I definitely wouldn't go so far as to say he got screwed, but it was a bad rule. They wanted to include all 1000 bunkers in play to make the course more interesting and the result is that there are so many tour players complaining about it now, it's getting all sorts of bad PR from what otherwise was a great tournament (at least, final day). It'll be interesting to see if it is the same rule when they return in 5 years.

[bpwallace49]

I guess I just don't understand the competitive advantage a person would get from "grounding their club" in a bunker. I'm more weekend hack than anything so maybe I'm missing it. Just seems kind of ridiculous to me.

 

 

It is to test the condition of the surface to better predict how it will fly out of the hazard.

 

Sand has wildly different consistencies, and "grounding the club" rule is to eliminate people judjing the sand by how the club rests on the surface to make the hazard . .well . .more of a hazard. It is like feeling how much give the grass has in the rough, or how soft the turf is near a drainage area . . . it matters when the club strikes the surface . . .

 

Also a PGA rules officlal follows anyone in contention the last day to be available in case they ASK FOR A CLARIFICATION OR A RULING. All he had to do was ask the guy following him around "hey . .is this a bunker or just a random pils of sand with no grass in it"?

 

Rules officials cannot volunteer information, but they can answer questions when asked, and their ruling is the final answer.

 

Dustin screwed himself by not thinking it through . . . sucks for him, but that is why you need to read the rules (and special rulings for individual course conditions/rulings) before play . . .

[bpwallace49]

I haven't played Whistling Straights, but the closest example I can think of is a couple of the Bandon Dunes courses....built on sand, next to the ocean. There are definitely bunkers but there is far more sand. .

 

I have played it . . and it is very very different then the geology of Bandon Dunes.

 

while the bunkers arent picture perfect with maincured edges, they ARE pretty clearly bunkers nonetheless.

 

Whistling Straights looked like a sand monster shat bunkers all over the place. It was part of the original design to be more "impressive".

[Seattle LawDawg]

In a twist or irony, the PGA rules committee had this rule on the docket for review this week.

 

What jumped out at me, was the extremely subdued applause that the German received after tapping out to win. The gallery was OBVIOUSLY in favor of Bubba. I havn't heard a golf clap like that for a Major Champion....well...ever.

 

Kaymer is just an unknown to many since outside Majors, he rarely plays in the states. Bottom line, he played well this week, has played well in majors already this year, was ranked as high as #6 in the world this year, was ranked higher than Bubba, DJ, or Elk going into the tournament, and is now #5 in the world.

[TimC]

In all the time I've watched golf, I can never recall a bunker shot where people were standing in it and sitting on the opposite lip of the bunker while a shot was being played...especially one of that importance. Crazy stuff.

[Cunning Runt]

I have played it . . and it is very very different then the geology of Bandon Dunes.

 

while the bunkers arent picture perfect with maincured edges, they ARE pretty clearly bunkers nonetheless.

 

Whistling Straights looked like a sand monster shat bunkers all over the place. It was part of the original design to be more "impressive".

 

Sounds cool. I'll be playing it in about a month.

 

Looking forward to it.

[Cunning Runt]

In all the time I've watched golf, I can never recall a bunker shot where people were standing in it and sitting on the opposite lip of the bunker while a shot was being played...especially one of that importance. Crazy stuff.

 

That's what I'm saying too.

 

I realize the penalty is 2 strokes, but I just don't see how you can classify that as a bunker but still have the patrons walking all over it/in it, etc..

 

I get that Johnson shoulda been more up to speed on the rules, and that the penalty is 2 strokes. Just BS in my opinion that that little patch of sand was considered a bunker in the first place.

[bpwallace49]

That's what I'm saying too.

 

I realize the penalty is 2 strokes, but I just don't see how you can classify that as a bunker but still have the patrons walking all over it/in it, etc..

 

I get that Johnson shoulda been more up to speed on the rules, and that the penalty is 2 strokes. Just BS in my opinion that that little patch of sand was considered a bunker in the first place.

 

It would take miles upon miles to rope off every bunker at Whistling Straights . . . and to enforce that with those kinda crowds would be impossible.

 

It sucks, but soem of the bunkers are so far off the beaten path I couldnt even hit them in play . . . but they are bunkers nonetheless . . .

[Dutch Oven]

Whatever the rule, the PGA handled it poorly. They needed to try and address it after the shot, not after the hole was complete. If he would have made the putt for the win, what a sh!t storm that would have been.

 

Also, I think the PGA handled the crowd control horribly during the whole championship. Worst I have seen.

Edited August 16, 2010 by Dutch Oven

[Lucky11]

re: the local rule - odd, but it was addressed by the PGA and rules committee well before the event, and made clear to the players and their caddies.

 

re: the ruling on Johnson - sad, but correct. he grounded his club in what had been clearly defined, by the PGA and rules committee, as a hazard. he must take responsibility as a player, even in (and probably especially in) this situation to make sure he's not breaking a rule.

 

re: the gallery - the PGA dropped the ball on this one. while this area of the course saw crowds trample around it over 5 days, the marshalls on the course should have demanded that the crowd move away from Johnson and the area he was playing from. it's not like there wasn't any space to the right (as you looked from the fairway to the green) for the crowd to go. Johnson was also well within his right to ask for more room from the crowd. i wish someone from the Golf Channel or CBS had asked him this question.

 

re: the final score - if Johnson was to be penalized two strokes for grounding his club in a hazard, should he not have been penalized an additional two strokes for doing it twice? it appears from the replay that he put his club in the sand two times before striking the ball, and both times he was at address. this would have financial implications for those players who finished behind him, with only the two stroke penalty in place.