SURGE SAYS: The 2009 Masters…Kenny Perry, Mud on his Ball in the Middle of the Fairway…We Need a Rules Change.
Kenny Perry, with a two shot lead, had one arm in the sleeve of his Masters jacket standing on the 17th tee. He bogeyed 17, and then 18 and they jerked the jacket off as it could soon belong to someone else, namely Angel Cabrera.
There’s been much talk of how Kenny Perry lost the Masters with what looked like hitting poor shots on the final two holes of regulation, and certainly on his second shot on #10 in the playoff, that might include the C (choke) word. Nothing could be farther from the truth, especially when I read a Masters wrap up article in Golfweek Magazine, “A Little Luck Goes a Long Way,” about good and bad breaks in the tournament the next week.
It starts by pointing out how Cabrera’s hitting a tree trying to hit out of the right woods on 18 in the first playoff hole and the ball bounced out into the middle of the fairway from where he made par to tie. The next paragraph states, “One hole later, Perry hit a perfect drive down 10 only to get mud caked onto his golf ball.” We all saw the rest of the story of him hitting a high pull hook left of the green, short siding himself, failing to get it up and down, and Cabrera gets to slide his arms into the Green jacket. More power to Cabrera and congratulations. But …
That pull hook on 18 is what started the big talk about him possibly folding under the heat. The point is mud on his ball in the middle of the fairway did him in. It cost him a Masters, a victory #14. With a year or so left before turning 50, a few more PGA Tour wins, and then wins on the Champions Tour, Kenny Perry would have a chance at getting into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He still has that chance, but by today’s standards he will have to win a PGA Tour Major to qualify.
Kenny Perry is a great guy, as Golfweek Magazine stated in the next article a page later titled, “Golf Needs More Kenny Perrys.” He is and lives everything by the Boy Scout slogan of “do a good turn daily.”
Now, let me get to the point of discussing the “Mud on the ball” rule change I propose. We all know when you have mud on your ball; only heaven knows where it will go. It is a big penalty to pay for a good drive down the middle of the fairway. Oh yeah, we know the rule, mud on the right side, and ball goes left, as happened to KP on #10. But we all have had that rule backfire on us and do something contrary to that prediction. We all know when we see mud on the ball, we breathe hard, sweat bullets and pray. I know that golf is a fair game that at times can throw a bad break. But why can’t we at least try to keep it fair and level as regards mud on a ball hit in the middle of the fairway or around the green?
The USGA and the R & A make the rules. Their stance is that allowing us to Lift, Clean and Place (LCP) our ball in the fairway opens the door to say, stretching the rules, misdeeds and even cheating. Heck, many times when LCP is put in play in tournaments the press, announcers and even players say Lift, CHEAT and Place. Why is Cheat said? Is not golf the most honorable sport played, and played by ladies and gentlemen who even call penalties on themselves? I profess here and now that LCP never has the word Cheat as part of that phrase from this day forward. Let’s look at some logic to changing the rule.
The Rules of Golf allow golfers to LCP their ball on the green to clean grass, dirt and mud off it to putt. If they, the USGA and the R & A and all fellow competitors TRUST everyone to mark their ball and to replace it back exactly in the same spot on the green, why is there no TRUST to do it in the fairway? Are golfers only honest on the green? I don’t think so! Honesty is a character trait that is exemplified all the time and everywhere. But, to add a carrot to LCP in the fairway to remove mud, I would offer, and I believe all golfers would agree to it, that you have to ask permission of a fellow competitor, and that they would have to watch you to verify accuracy and honesty. I would bet that all golfers would gladly walk across the fairway to oversee a competitor, knowing that everyone would be forever rid of the nemesis of having to play a shot from the fairway with mud on their ball.
Come on USGA and R & A. Let’s increase some decency and fairness in the game and allow LCP to clean mud off our golf balls when we are in the fairway. Using the “can’t trust us players” or “it slows the pace of play” excuse is bogus. The “can’t trust” issue is an insult to all golfers. If we have the trust on the green to LCP, then we surely should still have it in the fairway.
The Surge!
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Right on, Surge!! And by the way, while they’re at it why not change the ridiculous rule about having to hit a shot out of a divot in the middle of a fairway, after hitting a perfct drive? Equally stupid.
I have only been playing for 5 years and never took lessons and always said i would when I retire. I am glad i didn’t. i have been reading your online lessons and went out last week and i hit the ball straight and well. I still seem to be 1 club shorter than my golf buddies but who cares as long as i am in the fairway. I shot 10 shots better than usual. It could have been more, I now need to work on the short game and putting. But i want to say thanks. with a clear grip and set up, i am becoming much more steady and predictable. No more Army Golf. thanks
My late, older brother Ted caddied for Dave Barr on the tour for six years after he retired from business. He was the oldest caddy since he was 65 when he started! Anyway, I visited him several years after he ended his caddie career and commented on his nice golf shirt. He told me that Kenny Perry sent him several shirts every few months! Yes, golf (and the world) needs more guys like Kenny Perry!
don i am 64 years old and i played in mens clubs for twenty years. i quit playing because of the way it was played. we could roll the ball but not chang the line of play,but every time i played someone i caught them chaing the line also if you give them the chance to get a better lay they take it to extrems thank you for allowing me to rant.
Finally someone shinning light on this issue, If it is good for the goose then why not the gander. If you can LCP on the green then you should be able to LCP in the fairway.
Way to go Don, I salute you!
I agree, but also see the argument that players could use this rule to improve their lies. Maybe the rule should be that if you want to clean your ball, your opponent or a course official has to do it for you.
But as for whacky golf rules and the Masters, how about the stroke Padraig Harrington has to take when the wind moves his ball on the green after he has addressed it, even though he has subsequently stepped away? I don’t think a golfer should have to take a stroke unless he/she has made an attempt to make the stroke. If the ball is moved accidentally, it should simply be replaced without penalty.
Your “mud-on-the-ball” comment is interesting. I agree it does not seem fair to penalize a player for a good shot, but what would you suggest as a reasonable definition for how much mud would be required to allow a player to LCP? That’s the rub!
Make a new rule which states “when you hole out, you cannot ground your putter while retrieving your ball from the hole.” I have noticed many pros lean hard on their putters to retrieve their ball causing a depression in the green which can deflect other’s putts. Waddaya say?
I can’t say I agree with LCP from the fairway for the same reason as bud roy, how about allowing them to LCP from the traps too. Very few players would put it back into a bad lie after cleaning. I have watched people and their ball does not need cleaning, move the ball so it is sitting in a better position.
Bravo!! Applause!! I am 81 and didn’t start serious golf until I was 40, but having had a lot of wonderful PGA golf pros helping me out over the years, I made up for lost time.
And, having played in a number of tournaments, worked at public and private golf courses, there were a number of occasions, especially big tournaments, that local rules were implemented to offset the severe penalties in the USGA rule book. Namely…..out of bound rule….playing ball out of divot…., just to name a couple.
For amateurs with high to middle handicaps playing in local tournaments or just a regular round on a busy municipal course….some of these rules would have the courses backed up for hours over the course of the day.
So needless to say..some of the rules should at least be looked at seriously to see how they effect all players at all levels. I know that the rule book is for “all golfers” and the rules are designed to aid the golfer as well…but there are about 5 of them that should really get a hard look at restructuring the current ones.
I agree with you, it’s a rule that needs to be changed.
Golf is and will always be a game that honest
people play.
absolute balderdash regarding mud on the ball – if you want to play some sanitised game – buy an old aircraft hanger and play indoors. For goodness sake
Why not do the same for a ball in the fairway that ends up in a divot. If you play later in the day then you have a much greater chance of landing in a divot. Should everyone have an equal chance if you hit it down the middle?
Don,
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
I have been playing for 2 years and was looking to improve my game. I was learning and playing with my buddies. All of them have been playing longer than I have. One day after leaving the driving range pissed I decided to take lessons. When I got home I starting searching the internet for lessons in my area(MD, DC, VA). I saw your ad about 10 online lessons and decided, what the heck. After the first three I was hitting the ball much more straighter and making great contact. After receiving all the lessons I went back to the driving range. As I began to loosen up I had to stop thinking about the last time I was here. Once I began to hit the ball I was totally amazed at how straight and how far I was hitting the ball. The following week after more practice I played nine and did a good job of staying in the fairway. My buddy was amazed at how straight I was hitting the ball. However, I could still use some practice so I ordered your DVD set. I can’t wait until I play again. Forcast is calling for rain the next 4 days so it will be next week sometime. Until then I have plenty of time to study your DVD. Thank you for PPGS! Because of it I did not give up on the great game of golf.
Why LCP? Why not LCD (drop)? Their playing partner gives the supervision, a tee is placed to mark the spot and the ball is dropped, not placed, no closer to the hole.
Good comment. I had not heard or read about KP’s mud-on-the-ball. He shud have been allowed to clean. Local clubs allow players to LCP their balls during tournaments, especially after heavy rain. Why not allowing the pros, there is enough media coverage to catch anyone who was trying to cheat. Remember the mess over CS when he put a towel on the ground and nelt on it to hit his ball. Sure took the air out of the pro, which later they reversed the ruling.
Keep up the good work.
I agree with Duey Lynch. When there’s mud on the ball, let’s LCD not LCP. That would seem to take the “gaining a better lie” prospect out of the equation.
Excellent point, Don, as well as others mentioning hitting out of divots. Great as this game is, many of the rules border on the anal retentive side. The game offers enough physical challenges as it is—-some of it’s rules are truly stupid and merely add salt to the wounds. When a perfecly hit shot in the fairway winds up with mud on it or in a divot this guy would favor a clean and DROP so as to avoid a teed up shot.
I totally agree with you. Honesty has always been the best policy when if comes to golf. Afterall, it’s a gentlemen’s game. How can you be a gentleman by misplacing your ball and taking advantage of your opponent. If given the option, I’m sure we all would love to (LCP) on the fairway as well. There is nothing more frustrating than to drive a straight shot down the fairway only to find it is now covered with mudd for the next. Let us wipe it clean for the next, as long as we place it where it was, I’m in favor. Great viewpoint Don!
I have read all the comments on LCP AND LCD with much interest. Seems as though everyone has some good thoughts and comments. Here are mine:
1. Hitting a 200+ yard down the middle of the fairway IS to be rewarded. If we could see a divot that far down the fairway and place our shot to avoid it, I would say NO to LCD OR LCP. Obviously, this is not possible. I say a LCD from the fairway in a divot is fair.
2. Regarding mud on the ball (fairway only):
A. If it were an exact science that mud on the left sends the ball right and vice versa, I would say NO to LCP. However, we all know that this is not 100% true. So, in order to not be punished for a great shot, I would be in favor of LCP (again, fairway only) but, not LCD. Dropping the ball in a mushy fairway just lends to the possiblity of collecting mud on the ball again. There are many officials on the course that could monitor the LCD/LCP for correctness and, as stated by many, it IS a gentleman/gentlewoman’s game.
Why have to drop the ball at all? If you have a perfect lie but have to take relief because of a staked tree, distance marker etc, why do we have to drop and risk for example, rolling into a divot or bare patch thus not getting full relief. Change the rule to state place the ball and not drop it when relief is granted but by all means drop if it is a penalty eg hazards, out of bounds etc
This is so true Don. A good example of a golfer be a true gentleman is when Brandt Snedecker was in a tournament and called a penalty on himself even when no one saw him move his ball accedentally. In all, all golfers are gentlemen and we need to keep it this way.
Will.
The game of golf is difficult enough without adding mud to the ball.
I think the “Ancient” needs to be removed from the rule book and rule makers.
Let’s play the game for enjoyment not have to watch your playing partners “just in case”.
Golf cheats are only cheating themselves.
Good shots must be rewarded they keep us coming back for more.
Cheers david
surge, hear hear!…..right on the mark again….well said!
To David Potts:
Oh, I wish that “golf cheats only cheat themselves”….
For every golf cheat, there is an honorable player who loses…
On a related point, I would like to know why/when the golf community coined the term “sandbagger”? A player who mis-states, alters or otherwise fudges his handicap is CHEATING. If we persisted on calling them cheaters, (with the associated, and well deserved shame and scandal) the handicap system would work much better.
LCD/ LCP do have there place as has been discussed. I do agree that when a ball hit into the fairway becomes obstructed by either mud or that unforeseen divit relief should be allowed. The point about being allowed to take such relief on the green should be applied to the fairway as well.
What about the early days of golf (long before my time) when a player had to play around an opponents ball on the green? What caused the rule change back then to favour the marking of your fellow players ball so that you could have a better line at the cup?
Concerning the LCP discussion, what I find contradictory is the fact that you can’t do it in the fairway but, on the green, you can not only lcp but realine your ball with a previously drawn line on it. Now if that isn’t cheating …. ?
I know it helps us all get better scores but the old adage “Play the ball where it lies” should be good everywhere. No ? After all, you put it there, you play it from there, even on the green.