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Golf Rules for the Rest of Us

October 7, 2015 | By Greg D'Andrea | 5 Comments

Would you golf by the USRGA rulebook?

Last month, I wrote about the 3 Reasons Recreational Golfers Need Their Own Rulebook. In summary of that post, a rulebook specifically geared towards the average golfer would help attract new players to the game; alleviate slow play; and wouldn’t be focused on ranking the best golfers in the world (which is one of the USGA’s primary missions).

Since the USGA seems reluctant to create separate rules for recreational players (which might be for the best), I scoured the web to see if such rules existed elsewhere. Much to my delight, I ran across the United States Recreational Golf Association (USRGA).

Now in full transparency, I ended up reaching out to the leaders of the USRGA and they have since added the GolfStinks logo to its “friends of the USRGA” section of their website. But regardless of that, I endorse this organization simply because it provides exactly what recreational golfers need: A simpler set of rules that also work with a handicap system.

So what are these simpler USRGA rules? Well, to start with, there are 13 in total (in addition to a brief section on etiquette):

1. The Game of Golf consists of hitting a ball with a club around a golf course. The ball should be struck with a club, not pushed, scraped, lifted, thrown or spooned. A “round” consists of any number of consecutive holes on a golf course. Each time a player strikes the ball it is called a “stroke.” The sum of all strokes in a round equals the golfer’s score. A hole starts with a stroke from the teeing ground and ends on the green when the ball is holed.

2. The Rules of Play are to be agreed upon in advance by the players before teeing off on the first hole. The highest authority for settling disputes is the foursome or player’s group. They may ultimately decide what is right under all circumstances. Players may agree to add, waive or amend any Rule. If there is a dispute not covered by the Rules, then the golfers in the group will determine how to resolve the dispute; the decision should be made in accordance with what is fair. The players may appoint a ruling committee for the purpose of settling issues during group or tournament play. Advice may be sought or offered during the course of play but responding to a request is at the discretion of the golfers in the group.

3. Medal play consists of a round of consecutive holes when all strokes are counted. In Medal play the player must count every shot in a round and may not “pick up” after a shot. In Stroke play all members of the group are “fellow players.” A “side” is a player or two or more players who are partners. In match play the member/s of the opposing side is/are an “opponent.” Match play consists of a game when the players play each hole individually or with a partner against another individual or an individual and his partner. A Match can be played for any consecutive number of holes until a winner is established. A match can also be played as a Nassau when the match is divided into a first nine, second nine and an overall match. Each hole has a winner/loser or a tie score. Players may pick up after their ball no longer counts on a particular hole. Rules for Match and Medal play are the same regarding penalties. In case of a tie it is suggested that additional holes should be played until a winner is determined. The player’s may play in any order they choose. In competitions, the player/side with the lowest score on the previous hole tees first. There is no penalty for playing out of turn.

4. Any commercially available balls and clubs that are solely powered by the golfer’s swing are deemed acceptable for play. A player is allowed to carry a maximum of 20 clubs. Penalty for exceeding the limit is one stroke. Clubs may not be altered during the course of play but broken or damaged clubs may be replaced at any time during the round. A player claiming a handicap or average score for a given golf format should play with the equipment used to establish the handicap for that golf format.

5. It is allowable for a player to switch balls at any time during a round; this includes switching the brand, model and number of the ball. The ball may be lifted, cleaned and placed without penalty at any time.

6. If the wrong ball is played the shot/s should be replayed from their original position/s. There is no penalty for hitting the wrong ball.

7. If a ball is lost a player has two (2) minutes to find it. The penalty for spending more than two (2) minutes searching for a ball is one stroke. The penalty for spending additional time beyond four minutes is one additional stroke

8. If the ball is in a “non-standard” condition for the location, it is acceptable to improve the position or lie of the ball one club length except on the putting green. Such “non-standard” conditions include divots, bare or uneven turf, temporary water, cart paths, sprinkler heads or hoses and unraked sand in a hazard. The ball may be lifted and placed one club length but not closer to the hole. When improving a player’s lie, the new lie should not be moved from the rough to the fairway, from the fringe to the green or out of a bunker to the rough or fairway.

9. The flagstick does not need to be removed unless it is requested by the player who is chipping or putting. If a ball hits the flagstick and it is not holed there is no penalty. If the ball comes to rest against the flagstick it is considered holed.

10. A ball in motion should not be deliberately deflected or stopped by the other golfers in the group or their equipment. Penalty for violation is one stroke. A ball on the putting green that may assist or interfere with a shot should be marked and lifted.

11. If a ball comes to rest out of bounds, in a water hazard or lateral hazard, the ball should be placed as near as possible to where it went out of bounds or entered the hazard and not closer to the hole. The golfer also has the option to replay the shot or use a designated “drop area”. The penalty is one stroke.

12. Movable objects may be moved if they interfere with a swing or the player’s line of sight. A player is entitled to move the object without penalty. A player is entitled to move the ball one club length to get relief from immovable unnatural objects (telephone poles, fences, drain pipes, maintenance equipment, etc.) with no penalty.

13. A golfer may deem his ball unplayable and may place the ball near where the ball is deemed unplayable. If it is unplayable in a bunker it must be dropped in the bunker. If ball is in hazard it must be dropped in the hazard. Penalty is one shot.

If you took the time to read the above, then you would have recognized these rules are pretty much they way most of us play anyway (but differ quite a bit from the USGA rules). For example – rule #5: We weekend golfers don’t worry about playing the same brand of ball during a round – heck, we often find a ball mid-hole and switch to that one instead! And it shouldn’t be illegal to do so. Rule #6: Accidentally hit the wrong ball? No worries – just apologize and re-hit the correct one. Rule #8: Roll-over sanctioned and lift, clean and place approved! How ridiculous that we must play our muddy ball from a divot! Of course most of us roll-over (and clean) – it only makes sense.

Plus, some of the USRGA rules address slow play: We recreational golfers spend far too much time looking for a lost ball. Rule #7 specifies 2 minutes only (as opposed to 5 minutes under the USGA rulebook). And #9: Why do we have to go through the “tending the flag” ritual on every green? Heck, why do we even need to waste time walking over to remove said flag? Well under the USRGA, now we don’t have to. And of course, rule #11 does away with that obnoxious “walk back to the tee to re-hit a ball that is lost/OB” rule.

For the majority of golfers out there, the aforementioned rules should be leaps and bounds better than the current USGA rulebook. They are not only more easily digestible, but are bound to keep recreational players happier out on the course…without sacrificing the integrity of the game (which is important and why other alternate rulebooks have failed).

But what about those golfers who keep a handicap for tournament play? Well, the USRGA has them covered. Along with your free membership to the USRGA, you also gain access to the USRGA handicap system, where you can enter your scores much like you would elsewhere.

Interestingly (but not surprisingly), this handicap system, when coupled with rule #4 above, allows golfers to play (and keep a handicap with) non-USGA-conforming golf equipment, like the Polara golf ball/clubs, which we’ve posted (both the pros and cons) about before. I say “not surprisingly” because it should be noted that one of the co-founders of the USRGA is also the chief executive at Polara. But regardless of that convenient overlap, this is another way the USRGA provides recreational golfers with flexibility: If you want your handicap to reflect your skill level with a self-correcting ball, that’s no problem – just make sure you play in the tournament with said self-correcting ball (or your handicap will prove you a liar).

Overall, I would fully embrace the USRGA – it lets recreational golfers be, well…recreational golfers. And it puts into writing many of the things we do anyway out on the course (and this fact shouldn’t be dismissed so easily – people don’t want to be rule breakers – in general, they want to follow all the rules of whatever it is they are engaging in). Thus, having a separate set of rules for recreational players is exactly what golf needs to help welcome new players and retain veteran players alike.

That all being said, it would be truly nice to see the golf industry (from teachers to courses to even the USGA and other leading golf organizations) recognize a separate set of rules for the recreational player. And so far, the USRGA seems to be the most logical choice.

To Hell with the Rulebook: We Test Polara Golf Equipment

July 15, 2015 | By Greg D'Andrea | 4 Comments

You’re a weekend golfer. Of course you want to play better, but you don’t have the time or money to invest in all the lessons and practice necessary. After all, you have a life; commitments; and family that take precedence over your “hobby.”

You’re not looking to be a pro, but wouldn’t hitting a few more fairways and greens in regulation boost your enjoyment out on the course? Well, we kind of agree. And on that note, GolfStinks decided to test some equipment that can do just that: Let you spend more time in the fairway and less time being frustrated.

Of course said equipment doesn’t conform to the USGA rulebook, but you have to ask yourself: Does that really matter? If you were a pro golfer it would, but that’s like 1% of the golf population. As for the rest of us, it shouldn’t matter…not even in local tournaments (more on that in a moment).

In the meantime let’s look at the equipment: Polara Golf (in full disclosure, GolfStinks received several dozen Polara golf balls and three different Polara drivers free to test-out over the past several months).

First, let me say that aesthetically, Polara equipment looks no different than what you’ve got in your bag currently – there’s nothing strange or wacky about the way they look or feel (in fact, they may look and feel better than what you’re using now).

As for performance: Separately, the balls and driver can limit slices to help keep you in (or at least closer to) the fairway. But use ball and club together and weekend golfers are in for a treat. I average 93 strokes for 18 holes. When I play the with the Polara ball/driver combo, my average drops to 87. My short game hasn’t improved, but I’m shaving strokes by staying in-play off the tee, which is what Polara equipment has been created for.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard to always know when the Polara gear is working (on occasion, you’ll have a sense the shot ended up better than expected). For the most part, the performance enhancing abilities are subtle. But after a few rounds, you’ll notice your scores have improved. And you’ll realize you’re not only in (or near) the fairway more often, but you’re also having more fun because of it.

Elaine with the Polara Ladies Advantage driver

To offer another perspective: One of the Polara clubs we received was a woman’s senior flex. As such, I was able (through a mutual friend) have “Elaine” test the club/ball combo out. Elaine reported that “using the club and ball resulted in straighter shots” and “increased my distance off the tee by about 20 yards.” Elaine also stated she will continue to use her Polara club and purchase Polara balls, despite the equipment not conforming to USGA rules.

Let’s get back to the USGA rule thing for a second. Unless you’re playing on a pro tour or in amateur competition, using non-conforming equipment really shouldn’t matter. I realize that not following the rules doesn’t sit well with most people, but remember – the USGA rulebook was really written to identify the best golfers in the world. If you’re not one of (or trying to be one of) the best in the world, then what you need is a basic set of guidelines and etiquette to follow instead (see the USRGA.org rulebook). Trust me, it will make your golf life so much easier than trying to remember crazy rulings.

Now, if you’re playing for money, that’s a bit different. You should be upfront – let your opponents know about your equipment. Give them the opportunity to use it too or simply adjust the amount of strokes being given based on how you score with Polara gear.

And if you’re playing in a local tournament, tell the officials what you’ve got in your bag. Give them an option – your handicap using the Polara equipment or your higher handicap without using it. The CEO of Polara says he uses this approach at every tournament he plays…and most of the time they take his lower handicap and let him use the Polara stuff!

Like Elaine, I’ll continue to use the driver I received because it really works. And the balls work too, but once my supply runs out, we’ll have to see – I’m partial to using refurbished balls and I don’t think I will find refurbished Polara balls anywhere.

But the truth is, I am having fun spending more time in the fairway – it really does make my round that much more enjoyable (less time in the woods or in the adjacent fairway, etc.). And for me (as well as so many other weekend golfers), having fun is really what golf comes down to, isn’t it?

Check out the Polara Golf site HERE.

The Re-education of Stinky Golfer Greg

March 2, 2015 | By Greg D'Andrea | 3 Comments

I’ve been at this blog thing for more than 5 years now and in that time, my opinions and beliefs towards golf have changed somewhat. I didn’t always want to change my opinion on things (and was very reluctant in some instances) but overtime, I did indeed change.

Now don’t get me wrong, my overall ethos has remained relatively intact: That golf should be about having fun. But what’s changed is the length to which I’ll go to ensure I have that fun. I’d like to explain, but feel it’s prudent to provide some historical context first…

As I type this, I’m 40 years old. Let’s rewind about 23 years – I’m a senior in high school and playing varsity golf (not that we had a JV squad or anything, but if we did, I most likely would have been on it instead).

Despite being a less-than-stellar player, participating in organized golf from a young age taught me two important things: To respect the rules and your fellow golfers. Thus, it was no surprise I carried both of those virtues with me into my adult golfing life. I loved golf and eventually decided to go on a quest to play every public 18-hole course in my state (you can read about that HERE).

The quest put me on some very nice, upscale golf courses, that average hacks like me typically wouldn’t dare step foot on. It made me think: “What a waste – where in the rulebook does it say bad golfers can’t play good courses?” So it was this that really caused me to embrace the whole “play for fun” mantra.

This ideology was carried into the creation of this blog, where I (along with Stinky Golfers Chris, Pete & Tom) embarked on a new quest to re-educate the average golfer that it was OK to be, well…average at golf. Yet even though I was saying something rather revolutionary to the majority of golfers, I still kept in check certain things such as the rulebook and (what I felt was) the integrity of the game.

I scoffed at things like game-improving equipment. Non-USGA-conforming golf balls? Blasphemy! Illegal drivers and putters? That’s cheating! Fifteen-inch holes? What a joke! All the while I still took my mulligans, gimmies and roll-overs out on the course. A bit hypocritical, don’t you think?

Things began to change however when I interviewed David Felker, CEO of Polara Golf. Now Mr. Felker didn’t say anything particularly profound, but he helped put things in perspective for me: Why should average golfers be held to the rulebook of the USGA (an organization whose mission is primarily to rank the best golfers in the country)?

Golf is a simple game – hit a ball with a club until it goes in a hole. Now I understand that if you’re talented enough to win tournaments, then you might want to play the game professionally – and for that, you need to play by the pro-tour’s complicated rules. But for the rest of us, is there no relief?

By and large, we should be able to play the game with whatever rules we see fit. Allow mulligans or don’t. Allow gimmies or don’t. Allow non-USGA-conforming equipment or don’t – it doesn’t matter as long as your playing partners are all following the same guidelines.

And contrary to what you might think, none of this diminishes the integrity of the game – not even 15-inch holes do that. The integrity of golf remains intact simply because so many bad golfers love playing it.

In my post last week, I show how accepting I am in doing whatever it takes for people to have fun playing this game – and though it took nearly 5 years of blogging to open up my mind to this way of thinking, I’m ultimately glad I was re-educated.

The GolfStinks Holiday Gift Guide!

November 26, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | Leave a Comment

Throughout the year, GolfStinks reviews various golf-related products that we feel you ought to own (either to make your time on the course more efficient or help your game in some way, shape or form or to just make you chuckle).

Well, being that Black Friday is just two days away, we felt this would be a perfect opportunity to create a list of gifts for that golfer in the family! Let’s get started…

Golf Books

Two we recommend are Psych-Out Golf and I Married a Nutritionist; Things I’ve Learned That Every Golfer Should Know.

Here’s what I had to say about Psych-Out Golf:

“Psych-Out Golf is a rollicking guide to winning a few skins on the course while driving your playing partners batty – and it’s all in good fun.” – GolfStinks.com

You can purchase your copy of Psych-Out Golf HERE.

And here’s what I had to say about I Married a Nutritionist; Things I’ve Learned That Every Golfer Should Know:

“‘I Married A Nutritionist’ is the perfect book to get you on a path to changing how you eat for the better… And if you’re a golfer, you will definitely appreciate a few of the references within its pages.” – GolfStinks.com

You can purchase your copy of “I Married A Nutritionist” HERE.

Equipment

The Polara Golf ball (reviews HERE and HERE):

“…it would appear the Polara ball does help keep you in play (especially off the tee). And if that leads to a quicker (since you’re not always looking for your ball) and more enjoyable round, then perhaps these balls can help golf as a whole. Hacks and new golfers alike should embrace subtle game-improving equipment like this.” – GolfStinks.com

You can purchase Polara golf balls HERE.

Fun on the Course

What we had to say about the pocket booklet 40 Games FORE The Golf Course:

“There’s no doubt 40 Games FORE the Golf Course is a great addition to your golf bag. But what’s more, it can really help you get more fun out of this game – which, let’s face it, is the whole point of golf in the first place…to have fun!” – GolfStinks.com

You can purchase 40 Games FORE The Golf Course HERE.

Functional Apparel

The Golfer’s Belt Buckle – I really loved this buckle as both stylish and practical:

“…once I went through the motions a few times, I began to really appreciate how convenient this buckle really is. And by the back 9, I became consciously aware of the time and (perhaps more importantly) the frustration it saves from rummaging through your pockets searching for the right tool.” – GolfStinks.com

You can purchase The Golfer’s Belt Buckle HERE.

GolfStinks Merchandise

Shameless plug aside, check out our own SHOP to find a couple of choice items for the holiday season. This year, alongside our Embroidered GolfStinks Polo Shirt, we’ve added the Chugulug GolfStinks Mug – sure to be filled with liquid courage before you head out to the course!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and happy shopping!

It’ll Take Balls To Save Golf

September 17, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | Leave a Comment

Can these balls save golf? — Can the infamous Polara ball help save golf?

There’s been much ado via the media about the demise of the golf industry – this golf blog included. And while everyone has their opinion on how to fix it (this golf blog once again included), few solutions may be as practical as changing the ball you play.

Following up on Chris’ post from Monday, I’d like to offer my review and brief two cents about the Polara golf ball. Just to be completely transparent, the Polara balls I and the other bloggers here at GolfStinks tested were sent to us gratis after I interviewed the CEO of Polara, David Felker, for this post back in April. In that post, I stated quite honestly that my opinions toward Polara (or any non-sanctioned USGA equipment for that matter) had been rather scathing up until my conversation with Mr. Felker, who provided me a new perspective on this type of equipment.

My new perspective is; If golf is more enjoyable from the fairway (as the tag line in the photo above states) then who cares what equipment you use to hit those fairways? Of course you should never try to deceive your playing partners – especially if you’re playing in a tournament or if money is on the line. But in general, what difference does it make if the average weekend hack is playing with non-USGA conforming equipment? It’s not like the course ranger or USGA police will take away your license to golf. The only difference I can see is that weekend hacks will have a quicker and more enjoyable round.

That all being said, I have since played two 18-hole rounds with Polara golf balls and can offer the following review:

Round #1 (at Woodstock Inn & Resort, Vermont): I didn’t keep score during my first round playing the Polara balls. Perhaps I was still feeling some shame over playing with non-USGA conforming stuff, but my plan was to just see if my drives and fairway shots were straighter. On the first hole, I ripped one right down the middle and thought; “Wow, these balls really do work!” However I quickly learned (after a few poor shots) that the improvement to your game will be more subtle and to truly gauge how much the balls are helping you, keeping score is a must. At any event, when my round was over, I felt the Polara balls made my tee-shots more accurate but I didn’t notice much difference playing from the rest of the course. My guess was I saved 4 or 5 strokes overall.

Round #2: During the second 18-hole round (at Lake of Isles in Connecticut), I made sure I kept score. I played the front nine wretchedly, but still ended up with a 52 – which I didn’t feel was too bad considering how poorly I felt I was swinging the club. On the back, I turned it around and shot a 42 for a total of 94 (which is right around my average). My drives were pretty good on the back and again I attributed some of that to the Polara. To be that consistent with the driver was a bit unusual for me, so I would say the ball helped me save 3 or 4 strokes on the back alone. The ball probably helped me shave a few strokes on the front too, but it was less obvious (drives landing in the rough might have gone OB were it not for the Polara).

Now for context: I will mention my most recent round, where I did not play the Polara ball. Last week at Inn of the Mountain Gods in New Mexico, I went 55-45 for an even 100 playing Nike balls. Again I started off wretched and played better on the back – I felt I played very similar to the last time with the Polara balls, yet the result was six strokes higher. Was this because of the Polara balls? It’s hard to tell just by my scores alone.

Considering the slope: The slope rating at Inn of the Mountain Gods (from the forward men’s tees) is 124, while the slope at Lake of Isles (forward men’s tees) is a much harder 135. This means that even though I felt I played the same at both courses, I not only shot six strokes better with the Polara balls, but I was also playing on a much more difficult course that day (as indicated by Lake of Isles’ higher slope rating). To me, the combination of both my scores and the slope ratings at these courses really paints a telling picture.

Now obviously, this is just a small test sample, but it would appear the Polara ball does help keep you in play (especially off the tee). And if that leads to a quicker (since you’re not always looking for your ball) and more enjoyable round, then perhaps these balls can help golf as a whole. Hacks and new golfers alike should embrace subtle game-improving equipment like this. And to help clear the conscious of golfers everywhere, the USGA needs to amend its rules to include a section just for average players and/or non-tournament play. Steps such as these would help put golf back on track and start turning this industry into something we can once again be proud of.