Category Archives: Golf

Say it Ain’t So, Rory

By Kevin York

Photo Credit: (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Photo Credit: (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

I’m a Rory McIlroy fan. He’s not my absolute favorite golfer, and I actually like his fellow countryman Graeme McDowell better, but I like Rory and respect what he’s doing for golf. A young, good, potentially dominant golfer with his head screwed on straight. The game means something to him and winning a tournament is still an emotional event for him. I thought he would be the answer to what Tiger Woods has given us the last ten years (ok, more like the ten years previous to the last two, when he’s been a shell of his former self) – cold, robotic dominance from a man that appears to have no emotions other than anger or self pity.

This morning that all may have changed. As ESPN reported, McIlroy walked off the course in the middle of his second round at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens in Florida.

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Quick Slant: Golf’s Rule Problem

By Kevin York

Photo Credit: (Getty Images)

Photo Credit: (Getty Images)

Slant: The U.S. Golf Association (USGA) and Royal & Ancient Club (R&A) both want to ban the belly putter. The PGA Tour does not.

Reaction:

This is really an interesting predicament. For years, the USGA and R&A have been golf’s governing bodies. Everyone in America followed the rules set by the USGA, and in Europe, everyone followed the R&A’s rules. No questions were asked, the rules were just followed.

Think about that for a minute before I move on. The USGA and R&A hold exactly two professional golf tournaments – The US Open and The British Open. That’s it. Every other tournament in the world is associated with a different governing entity. In America we’re most familiar with the PGA Tour. They run all the other big money professional tournaments. The PGA Tour is like the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL. The difference is that all those other leagues set and enforce their own rules. They aren’t listening to someone else’s rules and guidelines. They want something changed, they change it. In my view, it’s a very odd situation for the PGA. They have to follow the USGA’s rules.

The USGA and R&A want to outlaw the belly putter, arguing it gives those using it an unfair advantage because it gives them an anchor and takes some skill out of the game. For the record, I agree with them. Use a real putter! The PGA, on the other hand, doesn’t think there’s any evidence to support that the belly putter provides an advantage to those using it. Interestingly enough, as this article mentions, three of the past five major winners have used a belly putter.

Instead of just taking the USGA and R&A rulings laying down, the PGA is being vocal about their opposition to this rule change. The question now is, how much influence does the PGA have over rule changes? Neither the USGA nor R&A has officially passed the belly putter rule change through – yet. Will the PGA and commissioner Tim Finchem’s public comments in opposition to it change things?

I’m typically all about preserving history, but on this topic, even though I hate belly putters, I side with the PGA. A professional league should be able to set its own rules, the same way the NFL or NBA can.

By Kevin York
Follow Kevin on Twitter at @kevin_york
You can contact Kevin at kevin@thecouchletes.com