General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Trump cheating at golf: [View all]ProfessorGAC
(69,126 posts)Everybody in our group is decent. 4-12 handicaps.
But, we won't hit a bunker shot out of someone's footprint. We will move a rock in the bunker. (We pay for our own equipment.). A ball in the fairway where a sprinkler head prevented the mower from cutting properly, until cross cutting; we move it a foot. We hit the fairway, we should get a good lie. Back before they changed the rule, we'd putt with the stick in to speed up play.
That sort of thing.
After all, the rules are meant to create game equity for everyone, anywhere. But, pros don't play out of footprint, or have rocks behind their ball because the bunkers are always near perfect.
Rules aren't supposed to punish when the player has actually done nothing wrong.
Getting too wrapped up in the rules can make you crazy.
I was a rules official for years, I know! (The certification test is HARD!!!)
And, I played hundreds of competitive rounds, where the rules are absolute.
We relaxed the rules to keep the game fun. But, we don't get nuts & we count EVERY stroke. We seldom even do Mulligans.