USGA Finally Eliminates Dumbest Rule in Their Rulebook

Golf fans remember it all too well.

It’s June 19th at Oakmont Country Club. Dustin Johnson is on his way to winning the first Major of his career, and yet, that’s not what everyone is talking about. Instead, we’re talking about whether or not he caused his golf ball to move while addressing it with his putter on the fifth hole.

Feel for Dustin Johnson but from what I’ve seen it looks like he’s caused the ball to move
1 shot penalty #USOpen pic.twitter.com/nFGtYaay7s

— Bantam Pete (@BantamPete) June 19, 2016

Then, the USGA compounds the issue by putting DJ “on notice” seven holes later that a violation may have occurred. At this point, Golf Twitter has completely lost its mind, including several pro golfers weighing in on all the ridiculousness.

Thankfully, the ultimate ruling of giving him a penalty stroke (even though he was absolved of a violation at the time), didn’t cost him the championship.

Another maddening piece of this was all of the verbal gymnastics the USGA performed after the round to justify the nonsense.

But, it turns out, the USGA may have a little common sense after all, even if they still claim the Johnson fiasco had little to do with the ultimate decision. It was announced today that accidental movement of a golf ball or ball marker on the green will no longer be a penalty.

Obviously, this rule change is a good thing. But it only scratches the surface of the overly-complicated rules that fill the USGA rule book. Apparently, there is something in the works in the form of a “Rules Modernization initiative”. If I were the USGA, I would fast-track this effort before the next embarrassing disaster.

Next time they may not be as lucky.

Cover Photo via Twitter