What's the DUMBEST Rule in golf?

[Jeffc]

For the "play to as it lies" crowd. How do you condemn the idea of moving the ball back an inch or two from a divot or footprint, but condone taking relief from cart paths? Or maybe you don't? I'm not saying this as an attack in any way, I'm literally lay looking for the thought process.

same thing with casual water. Or staked trees. Or flowerbeds. Or trashcans. Or grandstands. Or drain covers. Or sprinkler heads. Or a bees nest.

[Benz]

For the "play to as it lies" crowd. How do you condemn the idea of moving the ball back an inch or two from a divot or footprint, but condone taking relief from cart paths? Or maybe you don't? I'm not saying this as an attack in any way, I'm literally lay looking for the thought process.

AFIK, relief from a cart path is taken in order to avoid damaging a club during a stroke.

[Left behind]

For the "play to as it lies" crowd. How do you condemn the idea of moving the ball back an inch or two from a divot or footprint, but condone taking relief from cart paths? Or maybe you don't? I'm not saying this as an attack in any way, I'm literally lay looking for the thought process.

[4wedges]

If you're playing on a fairway that has already been played on by other players, then it's not unreasonable to expect divots. It's part of the game.

The basic premise of 'play the course as you find it' is more important than anyone's sense of what is 'fair' or what they should expect.

Agreed. Play it as it lies is a basic characteristic of the game.

[Benz]

Interesting seque into non connected territory. If I slice it in the woods I deserve to stay in the woods, if I hit it into the fairway I should be hitting off grass not fill.

If you're playing on a fairway that has already been played on by other players, then it's not unreasonable to expect divots. It's part of the game.

The basic premise of 'play the course as you find it' is more important than anyone's sense of what is 'fair' or what they should expect.

[Zebb]

Now for a rule that I think is stupid, is hitting your ball perfectly in the middle of a fairway and the ball stops in a horrible divot that was unfilled by a previous golfer and you are penalized by having to play your ball out of what I consider is a hazard for hitting your ball exactly where you are supposed to hit it!!! Now that is ridiculous... Just sayin!!!

Which rule in the book is the one that offends you and how would you rewrite it?

[lrgolfer]

Having to play out of a footprint in a bunker because some DUMBASS considers himself or herself much too good of a player to have to rack a sand trap. And luckly for them them didn't have to play out a foot ptint

[just123123]

I am not even sure if I am going to articulate this properly but the only way I can describe it is the DOUBLE HIT off a chip on the fringe. I have no idea how i do this and on the same standpoint have no idea how to correct it but today I was chipping in some deep rough onto the green and on the follow through of the chip, the ball made contact with my club and my opponent said "in a tournament, that is a 2 stroke penalty." I am not saying its a stupid rule, i am saying I don't understand how it happens, how to correct it and most of all, how that would be a two stroke penalty.

Keep your clubhead low after contact. Short chips tend not to get the ball up quickly, so you have to keep your clubhead below the ball after contact.

[aaagc]

Now for a rule that I think is stupid, is hitting your ball perfectly in the middle of a fairway and the ball stops in a horrible divot that was unfilled by a previous golfer and you are penalized by having to play your ball out of what I consider is a hazard for hitting your ball exactly where you are supposed to hit it!!! Now that is ridiculous... Just sayin!!!

I wonder why no one else has said that?

Edit:
They have? Where?

In the first post of this thread? Really, I hadn't noticed.

[aaagc]

I am not even sure if I am going to articulate this properly but the only way I can describe it is the DOUBLE HIT off a chip on the fringe. I have no idea how i do this and on the same standpoint have no idea how to correct it but today I was chipping in some deep rough onto the green and on the follow through of the chip, the ball made contact with my club and my opponent said "in a tournament, that is a 2 stroke penalty." I am not saying its a stupid rule, i am saying I don't understand how it happens, how to correct it and most of all, how that would be a two stroke penalty.

It won't be a penalty at all next year. But it is only a 1 stroke penalty at present (plus one for the stroke itself of course)

[Golden Domer]

Now for a rule that I think is stupid, is hitting your ball perfectly in the middle of a fairway and the ball stops in a horrible divot that was unfilled by a previous golfer and you are penalized by having to play your ball out of what I consider is a hazard for hitting your ball exactly where you are supposed to hit it!!! Now that is ridiculous... Just sayin!!!

[Golden Domer]

I am not even sure if I am going to articulate this properly but the only way I can describe it is the DOUBLE HIT off a chip on the fringe. I have no idea how i do this and on the same standpoint have no idea how to correct it but today I was chipping in some deep rough onto the green and on the follow through of the chip, the ball made contact with my club and my opponent said "in a tournament, that is a 2 stroke penalty." I am not saying its a stupid rule, i am saying I don't understand how it happens, how to correct it and most of all, how that would be a two stroke penalty.

[hoganapexplus]

You're in a match. Your opponent slices his tee shot into a wooded area and just misses a tree, but the ball does not come out. You slice your tee shot into the same wooded area, but the ball hits a tree and deflects back into the fairway.
Was that fair to your opponent? If so, why? If not, why not?

Interesting seque into non connected territory. If I slice it in the woods I deserve to stay in the woods, if I hit it into the fairway I should be hitting off grass not fill.

[Giller31]

I've hit my fair share of thin shots in my life, but...

OVER the trees OVER the green?

You sir, are my hero!

don't let the pic fool you. I was about 85 yards out from there.

[Giller31]

Agreed - sometimes tough luck happens, sometimes good luck happens. However, people remember the tough luck, and just accept the good breaks as normal.

absolutely. there are countless good bounces that we get that we accept as the "norm". I've had shots heading to the trees and bounce back into the fairway. It is what it is.

I don't disagree though that it can be frustrating when another golfer can "fq up" things for us. Footprints in bunkers are unfortunate because of lazy people. My ball hit a rake inside a bunker and when I moved the rake, my ball sat where it was and it was a horrible lie versus had the rake been outside the bunker (where it belongs), my ball would've rolled to the bottom of the bunker and I would've had a better shot. But you can't account for dummies unfortunately.