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Originally Posted by Wi-Golfer  2 ways to look at it: One is the die hard "rules are rules" way & that being said, yes he did the right thing. However I think the rules, in fact a lot of the rules are archaic & need to be either eliminated or changed in some way. Michelle Wies disqualification earlier this year for that ridiculous signing of the score card deal is one such rule.
What harm & or advantage did Hayes gain by using the wrong ball for 2 shots? He took the penalty at the time which is harsh in & of itself. I just fail to comprehend exactly what the goal of some of these rules actually are.
How many of us when forced with a large/tough forced carry over water or other obstacle, will pull out a cheap ball & put the $4 ProV1 in the pocket? I know the answer already as everyone is going to claim "not me, I would never do that", even though I have seen it done by plenty of people. Including folks who post here as well as myself, do we then penalize ourselves for not playing the same brand of ball the entire rd? Not a chance of that happening. |
I feel there are distinct differences between the rule broken by Hayes and the rule broken by Wie. There ARE many archaic rules that could/should be changed/modified/deleted. The scorecard issue with Wie is one! In fact, I would support doing away with scorecards altogether on tour. With the technology available today, scores could be recorded electronically. But, that's an entire different issue.
The use of a prototype ball... a non USGA tested/approved ball... is a much larger offense. (Greg Norman was disqualified some years back in a similar non-USGA-listed ball use.) If that rule was not enforced, the money on the line could see some really exotic balls appear in players' bags. On par 5's, one could use a ball with a special center core that would guarantee significantly longer distance. There are ball speed parameters in the USGA approval testing process. We just could not see balls begin to be used on tour that were not required to meet the requirements of the Rules of Golf.
As far as your example of we amateurs who change balls from hole to hole (using a "water ball") we ARE in violation of the Rules of Golf and should NOT post scores for handicap purposes. I've played with those who will use a Top Rock off the tee and then trade it out for a Pro V for their approach shot. Nope! Not permissible under the Rules of Golf. For recreational purposes... for scrambles... use what you want. For handicap purposes... for tourneys... use the same brand/model of ball for the entire round.
As far as Hayes... few sports are as self-policing as is the game of golf. Few professional sports have the... insist upon... exist because of the integrity of the players themselves. When you get to the level of these pros, you have developed a mindset of counting each and every stroke and playing COMPLETELY by the Rules of Golf.