The Open Championship

[superjohn]

I honestly just fast forwarded through most of it, but the ball did come to rest on the side of that hill in such a way, I don't know that he could possible get a club on it so it was called unplayable. He could go back to the tee or go back along the line, but going back on the line put a bunch of trailers and tents in the way. I'm sure they consider where to put those things so situations like this don't arise, but his drive was literally one of the worst I've ever seen by a pro at least 100 yards off line - hence bringing the carefully placed equipment into play after all. It took a while to evaluate the position and deem it unplayable and then a while to figure out where the line to go back was and then finally, where they could legally move it to in order to give him a shot not obstructed by temporary equipment and structures.

That's how I understood the situation. Someone probably has a better explanation (by the rules - obviously several people have a better explanation outside the rules),

I finally watched it and yes this is what happened, just as I expected from the articles I read. Don't expect Whaler to come back and admit he was talking out of his arse.

 

[superjohn]

My golf buddies would have made me play it on the hill (and vice versa), especially if money is on the line.

Of course I would have 'accidently' kicked my ball.

This is what Whaler expected Spieth to do.

 

[gtcam]

You'd have to ask Kuchar why he sat on a knee in the fairway like a moron while it unfolded. Then accepted Speith's half-arsed apology with a big smile. The only surprise after it unfolded was that he didn't lose by more.

I'd love to understand what Speith did to you
Half-arsed apology - and you know this to be true
The only half-arsed thing I see is this anti-Speith crap you are spewing
and now Kuch is moron - LMAO

 

[whaler11]

I'd love to understand what Speith did to you
Half-arsed apology - and you know this to be true
The only half-arsed thing I see is this anti-Speith crap you are spewing
and now Kuch is moron - LMAO

Yawn. He punked Kuchar. Sitting there like a beta waiting for orange slices. Zero respect for that guy going forward.

Doubt it needs to be said but if you disagree with me that's a great thing. Broken clocks are right more often than you.

 

[whaler11]

I finally watched it and yes this is what happened, just as I expected from the articles I read. Don't expect Whaler to come back and admit he was talking out of his arse.

So you think he deserved 27 minutes to decide it was unplayable take a drop and hit.

Sure thing.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I've got to find new golf buddies, or put a rule book in my bag.

Please help me out:

If I go back to the tee and re-hit my tee shot for an unplayable (not a provisional), am I now hitting my 2nd or 3rd shot?

If you declare a provisional on the tee shot, you can play it where you hit it. The provisional off the tee is your third shot. So, when you take your next stroke you are hitting four.

As for the rest, you still take a penalty stroke if you go all the way back to the tee.

With the R&A and USGA revamping the rule book, I really wish they would do away with ever returning to the tee box. I don't care if it's OB, in the water or another hazard, lost or unplayable. Find a drop spot no closer to the hole, add a penalty stroke and move on. No where in golf is it good for pace of play for players to search for a ball and then have to go back to the tee.

Rules and Decisions

Rule 28 - Ball Unplayable
Definitions
All defined terms are in italics and are listed alphabetically in the Definitions section - see pages 2235.

The player may deem his ball unplayable at any place on the course, except when the ball is in a water hazard. The player is the sole judge as to whether his ball is unplayable.

If the player deems his ball to be unplayable, he must, under penalty of one stroke:

a.

Proceed under the stroke and distance provision of Rule 27-1 by playing a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or

b.

Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or

c.

Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole.

If the unplayable ball is in a bunker, the player may proceed under Clause a, b or c. If he elects to proceed under Clause b or c, a ball must be dropped in the bunker.

When proceeding under this Rule, the player may lift and clean his ball or substitute a ball.

Penalty for Breach of Rule:
Match play - Loss of hole; Stroke play - Two strokes.



If you declare a provisional on the tee shot, you can play it where you hit it. The provisional off the tee is your third shot. So, when you take your next stroke you are hitting four.

 

[whaler11]

You clearly don't watch much golf if what happened today really upset you that much. And yes, the delay was because of "rule interpretation" because he couldn't drop on the line of his shot due to equipment. I'll give you a little bit of a pass because NBC covered it very poorly because even they didn't know what was going on. If that bothered you, you shouldn't be watching golf.

Ok high school golf hero. Make up whatever you'd like: He didn't get an advantage getting a half hour to hit. That half hour advantage didn't hurt anyone.

The guy they wanted to win gets special rules and you as a golf hero think that's a good thing. Amazing.

 

[whaler11]

Sure the guy was totally melting down - then took a 27 minute hiatus from hitting a ball and played perfect golf. Total coincidence.

 

[whaler11]

Speith:
What a great champion Matt Kuchar is. I took 20 minutes to take one of my shots today and Matt took it in his stride and with a smile ... that says a lot about him

29 actually it turns out. Speith is right that it says a lot about Matt. Says he is a 39 year old who gets punked by a kid in the biggest spot in his career.

Stand there grinning while Speith is screaming Go Get It. What a 'great champion' to lay down like that.

 

[Hurleyman216]

Ok high school golf hero. Make up whatever you'd like: He didn't get an advantage getting a half hour to hit. That half hour advantage didn't hurt anyone.

The guy they wanted to win gets special rules and you as a golf hero think that's a good thing. Amazing.

You really are making yourself look like a tool. Not a single person here agrees with you. If you don't like the rules of golf don't watch it and then post about it on a college bball message board. Speith made the right decision based on the rules to give himself the best chance to save from making a big number. Now take your pee brain to a thread where you might actually know something.

 

[whaler11]

You really are making yourself look like a tool. Not a single person here agrees with you. If you don't like the rules of golf don't watch it and then post about it on a college bball message board. Speith made the right decision based on the rules to give himself the best chance to save from making a big number. Now take your pee brain to a thread where you might actually know something.

Actually the only person in this thread with a clue does agree with me. You've got the morans on your side.

If you are going to call names and try to speak from authority - you should probably do better than bragging about your high school golf career - that's pretty sad even for the Boneyard.

 

[Robertelamin]

Clearly the path to victory at The Open goes through Cromwell. First and fourth played the Travelers and rested until Birkdale. Let's hope others take notice.

Ha, well at least Spieth should be back next year. Who knows about the rest of the big names though.

 

[cohenzone]

Kuchar played fine on that hole and the rest of round. Speith played out of his mind (or maybe just his usual game) from that point on. Speith did what the rules officials allowed him to do under the rules.

 

[whaler11]

You really are making yourself look like a tool. Not a single person here agrees with you. If you don't like the rules of golf don't watch it and then post about it on a college bball message board. Speith made the right decision based on the rules to give himself the best chance to save from making a big number. Now take your pee brain to a thread where you might actually know something.

I love that you post gems like this:

Literally every call in this tourney going in favor of the P5...that was a bad charge call. On the flip side you have Berry on UNC steam roll someone and no call....just awful

It was super hard to predict that the same people looking the other way on a 29 minute shot would cry bias when the calls didn't go their way.

Oh wait - it was super easy to predict and the only thing you are notable for is bad 'inside' information. LOL.

 

[Hurleyman216]

Actually the only person in this thread with a clue does agree with me. You've got the morans on your side.

If you are going to call names and try to speak from authority - you should probably do better than bragging about your high school golf career - that's pretty sad even for the Boneyard.

You see those names at the bottom of your posts from people who "liked" what you posted? No? That's because you've posted 22 times in this thread...22, and not a single person on the BY liked any one of your 22 posts. Take a break.

 

[whaler11]

You really are making yourself look like a tool. Not a single person here agrees with you. If you don't like the rules of golf don't watch it and then post about it on a college bball message board. Speith made the right decision based on the rules to give himself the best chance to save from making a big number. Now take your pee brain to a thread where you might actually know something.

I just want to thank you in the end for making this so easy.

We lost the game, but there was certainly some amount of impact...I feel like this team is often playing 5 on 8, and we're not even good enough to beat a good team 5 on 5. I'm not a conspiracy theorist...but it seems something is going on when you get the wrong side of the whistle almost every time out.

Guy you want to win gets ridiculous benefit from officials - awesome.

Guys you want to win loses even without conspiracy - 8 against 5.

 

[Hurleyman216]

I just want to thank you in the end for making this so easy.

We lost the game, but there was certainly some amount of impact...I feel like this team is often playing 5 on 8, and we're not even good enough to beat a good team 5 on 5. I'm not a conspiracy theorist...but it seems something is going on when you get the wrong side of the whistle almost every time out.

Guy you want to win gets ridiculous benefit from officials - awesome.

Guys you want to win loses even without conspiracy - 8 against 5.

Make that 23...

 

[whaler11]

You see those names at the bottom of your posts from people who "liked" what you posted? No? That's because you've posted 22 times in this thread...22, and not a single person on the BY liked any one of your 22 posts. Take a break.

LOL likes. The only person with a clue was Fishy. You've got the usual Boneyard crew of biased ballwashers and assorted losers. Congrats on your likes - I quite enjoyed your historical posts proving you a clown. 8 on 5 lol.

 

[Hurleyman216]

I just want to thank you in the end for making this so easy.

We lost the game, but there was certainly some amount of impact...I feel like this team is often playing 5 on 8, and we're not even good enough to beat a good team 5 on 5. I'm not a conspiracy theorist...but it seems something is going on when you get the wrong side of the whistle almost every time out.

Guy you want to win gets ridiculous benefit from officials - awesome.

Guys you want to win loses even without conspiracy - 8 against 5.

You really are something. You can't win an argument in this thread because you're wrong so you're pulling up posts from me from when we lost to Cincy in the AAC tourney? I wasn't even rooting for Spieth and never said I was...

 

[Mr. French]

LOL likes. The only person with a clue was Fishy. You've got the usual Boneyard crew of biased ballwashers and assorted losers. Congrats on your likes - I quite enjoyed your historical posts proving you a clown. 8 on 5 lol.

So wait ... He's cherry picking which times to agree with the rulings, but you're determining which internet posters are any good based solely on whether they agree with this specific point of yours?

 

[Hurleyman216]

LOL likes. The only person with a clue was Fishy. You've got the usual Boneyard crew of biased ballwashers and assorted losers. Congrats on your likes - I quite enjoyed your historical posts proving you a clown. 8 on 5 lol.

Ok, Fishy said something that was somewhat close to your opinion so that must make you right. There's only one ballwasher on this thread...your tongue must smell "fishy"

 

[whaler11]

You really are something. You can't win an argument in this thread because you're wrong so you're pulling up posts from me from when we lost to Cincy in the AAC tourney? I wasn't even rooting for Spieth and never said I was...

I didn't lose any argument in this thread and your past posts are delightful because I knew the same people defending the 29 minute shot would be the ones crying about the NCAA/basketball refs. Very easy to predict. But you enjoy your dogboy likes lol.

 

[Hurleyman216]

I didn't lose any argument in this thread and your past posts are delightful because I knew the same people defending the 29 minute shot would be the ones crying about the NCAA/basketball refs. Very easy to predict. But you enjoy your dogboy likes lol.

You seem to be the one crying about rules, which there no rules broken. Get mad at the R&A for being slow if you want but Spieth did nothing wrong...you're up to 25 now

 

[Jaker]

Five under over the final 5 holes was pretty sick. I actually thought Spieth was going to fold up and most golfers probably would have. As for the ruling, it was done by the book and would have been no different for any other golfer in that position.

 

[jleves]

Actually the only person in this thread with a clue does agree with me. You've got the morans on your side.

If you are going to call names and try to speak from authority - you should probably do better than bragging about your high school golf career - that's pretty sad even for the Boneyard.

I don't think I've ever had a direct interaction with you before and other than the fact you just called me a moron, I'm not sure why you are being so hostile to anyone with a different opinion.

You also have called out Kuchar for no apparent reason. What was he suppose to do? He has no say in how the officials do their thing. He can't make them do things faster.

As for the actual situation and ruling and your claim that they gave him a 27 minute break. I'm curious if you actually think there was an intention on the officials part to take as much time as they could to figure it all out? And if you do think that, do you really think that icing a guy about to make possibly the most difficult shot in his career on the biggest stage for 27 minutes with tons of uncertainty where the shot was going to be played from was somehow going to help? It wasn't like they said 'You are going to be able to drop here. Figure out how best to hit that shot. We'll stall for you. Take all the time you need.'

And as pointed out - this isn't the first time on the tour that a ruling took over 20 minutes.

If your contention is that there was an actual conspiracy, then there's nothing to argue about as we'll never know. But if that isn't your contention, I don't get the angst.

Now don't go and call me a moron or whatever because I disagree with you - just have the discussion.

 

[whaler11]

So wait --- He's cherry picking which times to agree with the rulings, but you're determining which internet posters are any good based solely on whether they agree with this specific point of yours?

Quite the opposite: Fishy has credible opinions based on his posts. When Fishy disagrees with me on something I consider I may be wrong.

Getting lectured about rules and officals by those who claim UConn plays 8 on 5 or every call is in favor of the P5 - sort of makes them not all that credible when it comes to officiating decisions.

If you want to treat everyone's opinion the same knock yourself out.

 

[Hurleyman216]

Quite the opposite: Fishy has credible opinions based on his posts. When Fishy disagrees with me on something I consider I may be wrong.

Getting lectured about rules and officals by those who claim UConn plays 8 on 5 or every call is in favor of the P5 - sort of makes them not all that credible when it comes to officiating decisions.

If you want to treat everyone's opinion the same knock yourself out.

There was no "officiating decision",
they simply followed the rules of golf which are sometimes overly complicated. Very few professional golfers would have had a clue where they could have legally dropped their ball there. You sound pathetic...you're getting on me for complaining about officials in the AAC semifinal game and in the same breath trying to convince people that the R&A officials "fixed" or bent the rules for Spieth? Officials have almost no impact on the game of golf...literally you can't think of another sport where officials are less important to the outcome. You're pretty close to being my first ignored poster

 

[whaler11]

I don't think I've ever had a direct interaction with you before and other than the fact you just called me a moron, I'm not sure why you are being so hostile to anyone with a different opinion.

You also have called out Kuchar for no apparent reason. What was he suppose to do? He has no say in how the officials do their thing. He can't make them do things faster.

As for the actual situation and ruling and your claim that they gave him a 27 minute break. I'm curious if you actually think there was an intention on the officials part to take as much time as they could to figure it all out? And if you do think that, do you really think that icing a guy about to make possibly the most difficult shot in his career on the biggest stage for 27 minutes with tons of uncertainty where the shot was going to be played from was somehow going to help? It wasn't like they said 'You are going to be able to drop here. Figure out how best to hit that shot. We'll stall for you. Take all the time you need.'

And as pointed out - this isn't the first time on the tour that a ruling took over 20 minutes.

If your contention is that there was an actual conspiracy, then there's nothing to argue about as we'll never know. But if that isn't your contention, I don't get the angst.

Now don't go and call me a moron or whatever because I disagree with you - just have the discussion.

I didn't mean to lump you in with the morans - many apologies.

Conspiracy is strong - but I do not doubt that the PGA, NBC, R&A have players they favor. It's a for-profit endevor and the Travelers had similar ratings to the US Open because Speith was here. There aren't many on the list that move the needle right now but him and Rory are at the top of the list.

I think it was nonsense that the R&A allowed that to take 29 minutes. I think it's nonsense that people would claim it didn't advantage Speith (can you do that while ignoring what happened after).

Kuchar was a total punk - sitting in the fairway like a child and then grinning like a fool for the rest of the round. The 'apology' was a joke. Just a beta getting b-slapped by an alpha.

I'm being a jerk about it because it was obvious that the same people claiming that Kuchar wasn't disadvantaged (outside perhaps you) would be the same people that constantly cry about Cal, Pitino, Duke, UNC, Syracuse etc. Total hypocrites who post biased nonsense.

Since you reengaged and I respect you I'll let it go - but I do believe that 29 minutes to hit a ball was ridiculous and a huge advantage and it's only because it's a tour golden boy nobody seems to think it's an issue.

 

[superjohn]

Yawn. He punked Kuchar. Sitting there like a beta waiting for orange slices. Zero respect for that guy going forward.

Doubt it needs to be said but if you disagree with me that's a great thing. Broken clocks are right more often than you.

Sweet JSM impression.

 

[Jaker]

My only question in the sequence of events, who decides the ball is actually unplayable?? If Spieth declared it unplayable and the Ref came over and said "No, I think you can play it" how is that handled?? Just curious.