What's the Most Ridiculous Rule in Golf?

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by atticusfinch

I've never understood the argument that doing something completely within the rules can be contrary to the spirit of the game. If it was, the rules wouldn't allow it. The spirit of the game is contained in the rules. If not, then where is it?

Good point!!

[Fileygolfer]

I must admit that I didn't see the Tiger v Boulder incident, but as it has been told in this thread the "Ruling" seems Ridiculous.
A Boulder that needed several people to move being classed as a "Loose Impediment" is the ridiculous part, why was it not classed as an "Obstruction"?
Was it because Tiger wanted 'Line of play' relief and you don't get that if the Boulder is an Obstruction, so the thing had to be moved, and the only way it could be moved was for it to be classed as a "Loose Impediment".

So to answer the Thread Title.
I think that to class an object that needs a number of people to move it as a "Loose Impediment" is The most Ridiculous Rule in Golf.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Fileygolfer

I must admit that I didn't see the Tiger v Boulder incident, but as it has been told in this thread the "Ruling" seems Ridiculous.
A Boulder that needed several people to move being classed as a "Loose Impediment" is the ridiculous part, why was it not classed as an "Obstruction"?
Was it because Tiger wanted 'Line of play' relief and you don't get that if the Boulder is an Obstruction, so the thing had to be moved, and the only way it could be moved was for it to be classed as a "Loose Impediment".

So to answer the Thread Title.
I think that to class an object that needs a number of people to move it as a "Loose Impediment" is The most Ridiculous Rule in Golf.

A boulder is a natural object, thus it cannot be an obstruction. Obstructions are man made objects. Weight has no bearing on looseness. Loose means not attached to the ground. There is nothing in the definition of a loose impediment that refers to weight. If Marius Pudzianowski was playing that day, he would have picked the boulder up and carried it out of the way, and while that would have been jaw-dropping, nobody would have questioned it.

[atticusfinch]

Originally Posted by Fileygolfer

I must admit that I didn't see the Tiger v Boulder incident, but as it has been told in this thread the "Ruling" seems Ridiculous.
A Boulder that needed several people to move being classed as a "Loose Impediment" is the ridiculous part, why was it not classed as an "Obstruction"?
Was it because Tiger wanted 'Line of play' relief and you don't get that if the Boulder is an Obstruction, so the thing had to be moved, and the only way it could be moved was for it to be classed as a "Loose Impediment".

So to answer the Thread Title.
I think that to class an object that needs a number of people to move it as a "Loose Impediment" is The most Ridiculous Rule in Golf.

See it here. Windows media player. (Also available in realplayer.)

High bandwidth

Rules of Golf Video Vignettes

Low

Rules of Golf Video Vignettes

[JungleJ]

Originally Posted by atticusfinch

See it here. Windows media player. (Also available in realplayer.)

High bandwidth

Rules of Golf Video Vignettes

Low

Rules of Golf Video Vignettes

Thanks for that - I'd never actually seen the incident on screen before. One question though, how long in actuality did the incident last? I realise we're talking about the tortoise like pace of professional play, but I'm guessing that it took quite some time to get a ruling and move the rock, therefore delaying play?

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by JungleJ

Thanks for that - I'd never actually seen the incident on screen before. One question though, how long in actuality did the incident last? I realise we're talking about the tortoise like pace of professional play, but I'm guessing that it took quite some time to get a ruling and move the rock, therefore delaying play?

On tour, they don't consider the act of obtaining a ruling to be undue delay. If, after getting the ruling, it took an excessive amount of time to round up enough bodies to move the boulder, then that could become an undue delay. For the pros, any pro, there are always enough patrons around to make that a moot point.

It takes longer for J.B. Holmes to go through his 50 swing pre-shot routine than it would take to get the assistance in moving a large loose impediment.

[atticusfinch]

Here is a picture of a stone that is no longer embedded and is now a loose impediment which can be moved by any means.

[atticusfinch]

Originally Posted by JungleJ

Thanks for that - I'd never actually seen the incident on screen before. One question though, how long in actuality did the incident last? I realise we're talking about the tortoise like pace of professional play, but I'm guessing that it took quite some time to get a ruling and move the rock, therefore delaying play?

FourPutt is right, waiting for an official is not delay (remember the rule penalizes "undue" delay not just delay), but as I recall that official was right with the woods group and made his ruling right then...no delay of any kind.

[atticusfinch]

Originally Posted by Fileygolfer

Was it because Tiger wanted 'Line of play' relief and you don't get that if the Boulder is an Obstruction, so the thing had to be moved, and the only way it could be moved was for it to be classed as a "Loose Impediment".

You have a keen grasp of the conspirator's mind. It seems that many of the things in golf you find objectionable are (in your view) caused by "the suits" who ignore the needs of the common folk or people who bend rules and give unauthorized preferential treatment to satisfy top players, so nobody (in authority) plays fair and they are all out to get you.

[Fileygolfer]

Originally Posted by atticusfinch

You have a keen grasp of the conspirator's mind. It seems that many of the things in golf you find objectionable are (in your view) caused by "the suits" who ignore the needs of the common folk or people who bend rules and give unauthorized preferential treatment to satisfy top players, so nobody (in authority) plays fair and they are all out to get you.

Maybe.

Years of talking about the Rules allows me to know how to bend them, within the Rules of course.