How do these pros go so many rounds without calling penalties on themselves? I mean when i play and im trying to follow the rules if i break a small rule but it didnt affect me i let it go and im sure it happens to all of us at times. I try to be very strict on myself but if i broke a rule and didnt gain an advantage im not calling it on myself unless im in the city tournament. I know this happens once every couple months to just me and i cant believe more rules are not borken by these pros. Or are they not calling it?
It helps to have the ever watchful eye of the camera nearby. Remember Craig Stadler's infamous "Building a stance" encounter with the viewing public. Then too, Tigers "Putting from the line" review. These guys know the rules pretty well, and when in doubt they are quick to ask a marshal (most of the time) After all, it's their paycheck they are playing for.
I think that because people at home have called in many times and if they hadnt it would have gone unnoticed alot of times. In those cases the fields would have been jeopardized and noone would have said a thing. I know they play with integrity and i respect them immensely thats not my case. In fact i have no real case im just a bit surprised these pros dont make mistakes more often.
Sometimes they know. I think Tom Pernice knew about a month ago. Did Wie possibly know today? Id say its possible she did or at least thought it may be but didnt say anything. Nothing against her i like her but she should have asked but what happens someone had to bring it up to her. This kind of thing does go on and mistakes do happen and sometimes not all the guys are fair. My point is id expect more penalties called on themselves and im a bit surprised we dont see this more. Maybe they dont know or maybe they are just that good and careful but regardless with all the tourneys and all the situations and all the shots you dont see it that much
If Wie knew the rule she would have made sure not to touch the moss. She knew there would be a camera getting a shot of it so why would she knowingly break a rule that didn't really help her anyway knowing she would be caught. Do you beleive that Annika knowingly broke a rule a while back and thought she might get away with it. No pro golf that knows the camera is capturing every swing and every movement is going to knowingly violate a rule or fail to call a penalty if they know it happened and was a violationo.
These guys are playing at the highest level of golf there is. They hardly ever make stupid mistakes like the average amateur. That's why they're there and we're here.
Let's keep it simple. Why would a pro intentionally break a rule and then call the penalty on himself? He would be a fool to break the rule in the first place if he knew about it.
And if the pro wasn't aware he'd violated a rule, then he wouldn't be able to call it on himself, would he?
And with regards to things like double-hits out of rough or a bunker or your putter moving/rotating the ball on the green...that stuff usually gets called by the player. But most of the time they know how to avoid such things and therefore don't violate the rules. Yes, sometimes it happens, but I would say the percentages are very low.
My point pretty much coincides with michelle wei who i do like. She hit moss in the sand but yet didnt go to a rules official and they had to bring this up to her. She knew she did something but didnt ask and would have kept it to herself if it wasnt on TV. Im in the belief that these things happen more often than one would think. Pros make mistakes just like we do and im a bit surprised that we dont see more penalties called on themselves.
The Pro's know the rules and play accordingly BUT.
There are grey areas in the rules and Michelle fell to one of them (rule 13-4).
She said afterwards that she knew she hit the Moss, but because it was during the swing she thought there was no penalty (as stated in "Exceptions-Note").
OUT COMES THE DICISIONS BOOK - not the Rules of Golf - and she has a two shot penalty.
The "Exceptions-Note" reads :- At any time, including at address or in the backward movement for the stroke, the player may touch with a club or otherwise any obstruction, any construction declared by the Committee to be an integral part of the course or any grass, bush, tree or other growing thing.
I think Michelle knew this and being 16, and like many other golfers out there thought it was OK to hit it on her backswing.
She will now know.
I was told at a young age "You will learn by your mistakes". How true!
August 4th, 2006, 03:57 PM
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