New USDGC rules

[Chuck Kennedy]

The new hazard rule where you take a penalty for landing in a hazard area but throw from that location is the latest twist: http://www.usdgc.com/09/12/ob-rules-adjusted-for-2013

[Craig Smolin]

Actually think this is a really intriguing and good twist on the standard OB rules. I like it better than the bunCR rules from a few years ago.

It's about as close to a sand trap as we've come ...

[Chuck Kennedy]

BunCR rule (not USDGC version) is still closer to a sand trap than this new hazard rule. When you're in a sand trap, it doesn't automatically cost you a penalty unless you botch your shot from the tougher lie than having landed in the fairway. With the regular bunCR rule where you go to a nearby drop zone or move back out of the buncr on the line of play (not rethrow like USDGC) you have the same kind of tougher shot without penalty like a sand trap.

With this new hazard rule, it's pretty much like regular OB other than playing from where you landed versus maybe 15 feet away at the last point you entered the hazard. You automatically get a penalty with no way to prevent it by making a great recovery shot like you can when landing in a sand trap.

[Craig Cutler]

I tee off on Hole 3 Winthrop. I hyzer out at the end and go OB by 10 feet. I hit my 50 footer from the OB. I score a 3. Or, better example, I ace run hole 14, skip OB, hit my 60 footer, get a 3.

the rule seems to erase the chances for big numbers. Was this the goal?

[Chuck Kennedy]

If you look at the changes made throughout the course, rather than using the same new rule on most of the holes (throw & distance, bunCR, hazard, triple mando) like they've done in the past, they've gone through and tried to apply the penalty structure that more closely matches the risk/reward aspect of making a particular throw and what happens when you slightly miss or really miss. Just consider the previous USDGC years as their way to introduce each new penalty structucture one at a time and this year they're trying to tailor the best of these options for each hole.

[Dave Jackson]

Having to manipulate the rules to create change at a tournament is half assed. IMHO.

Imagine if the usdgc was run by ball golfers.....

Without a doubt, the event would be even better than its supposed to be.

[Sean Healy]

What if you don't make it back in bounds from your OB upshot? Is it stroke and distance? Or do you throw from you landed again with another penalty stroke?

[Matt Stroika]

[quote="Dave Jackson"]Having to manipulate the rules to create change at a tournament is half assed. IMHO.

quote]

I was going to say something like this. Has an element of circus side show.

Doesn't matter much at this point since Innova has already killed what was for almost a decade the best event in disc golf by using handicaps.

[Mike Dussault]

Change rules and try new things... AT AN X TIER!!!

Keep the "Majors" pure.

[Jeff Prendergast]

What if you don't make it back in bounds from your OB upshot?

Then you continue to throw shots from a lie that is out of bounds.

Wait...what did I just write?

[Chuck Kennedy]

The only way to try and make a fundamental rule change for the sport is to do it at a high profile event. The USDGC is compressing the evolution of several 100 years of ball golf rules into the past dozen years or so. Players may be coming along kicking and screaming but consider the changes that have been adopted widely as a result of testing them (forced drop zones, island greens) at the USDGC or validated by the USDGC adopting them (elevated pins). All they are doing is trying to develop risk/reward structures that are appropriate for our sport. We can't directly duplicate some of them the way ball golf does it because the ball is played from the ground and we throw through the air.

[Mike Dussault]

The only way to try and make a fundamental rule change for the sport is to do it at a high profile event. The USDGC is compressing the evolution of several 100 years of ball golf rules into the past dozen years or so. Players may be coming along kicking and screaming but consider the changes that have been adopted widely as a result of testing them (forced drop zones, island greens) at the USDGC or validated by the USDGC adopting them (elevated pins). All they are doing is trying to develop risk/reward structures that are appropriate for our sport. We can't directly duplicate some of them the way ball golf does it because the ball is played from the ground and we throw through the air.

These are not the things we are talking about. We are talking about changing the Rules. Use structures, create island greens, mark the place up with OB, heck even throw through a clowns mouth for a mando, but don't change the rules for one of the biggest events of the year. How can you say the only way to make rule changes is to do them at high profile events? I thought that was the very reason for X tiers?

Awwww Pish...

[Chuck Kennedy]

Potential rule changes are only widely talked about when used at high profile events. Example in NFL for revised sudden death tested in playoffs first. In MLB, pretty sure video replay was officially used in playoffs first. Skipping alternate prongs on the sand trap rake was tested by Jack Nicklaus at his high profile Memorial event.

BTW, island greens and forced drop zones were rule changes initiated at the USDGC. Prior to the island green rule at a USDGC in the early 2000s, players would have been allowed to mark inside the green if they flew over it and ended up OB. But the USDGC got the waiver to first require a retee regardless where the disc flew out. Then, when that was seen a too punitive, they got the forced drop zone instead.

[Jeff Prendergast]

The only way to try and make a fundamental rule change for the sport is to do it at a high profile event.

The only way? C'mon please. Just stick to your guns if you want. But let's not pretend it's the only way to implement a rule. I agree with wonrm.

[Chuck Kennedy]

Agreed, edit to read "an effective way" versus " the only way".