COMMUNITY

Actually, there are fewer rules in golf (35) than most other sports. It's the application of these rules that gets really complicated. Anyone who has a copy of the book "Decisions on the Rules of Golf" can attest to that. It is 603 pages long.

I wasn't sure what itbez was referring to when I first read his post this morning. I learned about Juli Inkster's disqualificatin later on the Golf Channel Website.

This same situation happened in a four-ball championship I was playing in 5 or 6 years ago. We were waiting to hit our second shots on the par 5 second hole when I looked across the fairway and saw my partner swinging his club with a weighted donut on the end. I knew this was an infraction but was not sure if in match play it was loss of hole or disqualification. I went over and told him about it and he couldn't believe he had broken a rule. We took out a rules book and sure enough, Rule 14-3 calls for disqualification. We informed our opponents that he was disqualifying himself. So I had to play the match 2 against 1 from the second hole on, and lost 5 and 4.

Read this blog I wrote: http://www.ushandicap.com/golf..

I completely side with DJ here. Having people walk through a bunker that is in play and have them stand in it while the player takes a shot is just absurd. Plus if I recall the rules sheet said ANY sand on the course shall be considered a bunker. So let me ask this. Had there been sand splashed out of a greenside bunker onto the green like we've seen before, and DJ's winning putt for par ended up in that sand, then I guess that would be considered a bunker, he'd ground the putter behind the ball, and be penalized 2 strokes that way. How crazy would that have been?

Anyways, I've yet to see someone use a drill during their round to improve their score. But I think we can all agree that that is a fair rule.

You are entitled to your own opinions, but not your own set of erroneous facts. The rules sheet which every player was given, and which was even posted on the mirrors in clubhouse bathrooms was quite clear and unambiguous, especially to a professional golfer who should at the very least, have a basic understanding of the rules of the game he or she plays for a living:

1. Bunkers: All areas of the course that were designed and built as sand bunkers will be played as bunkers (hazards), whether or not they have been raked. This will mean that many bunkers positioned outside of the ropes, as well as some areas of bunkers inside the ropes, close to the rope line, will likely include numerous footprints, heel prints and tire tracks during the play of the Championship. Such irregularities of surface are a part of the game and no free relief will be available from these conditions.

Now tell us where you got the notion that "the rules sheet said ANY sand on the course shall be considered a bunker".

On Golf Central they said that any sand on the course would be treated as a bunker. May not sound very convincing, but I can promise you that's what they said.

There's an old axiom which states; Don't believe everything you hear, and only half of what you see.

If someone on Golf Central said this, they were wrong. What they probably intended to say was "any sand BUNKER on the course".

There has been a lot of crazy stuff going on lately. These players and/or caddies should definitely know the rules. Julie is a veteran - its not like a rookie mistake - wow! Why was she having to wait for 30 minutes - was it a weather delay or something happened in the group ahead of her? During weather delays are they allowed to warm back up - I am not really clear on the rules but does seem a disadvantage if you are in a rhythm have to stop and then can't do anything to loosen back up. I am not a great golfer but if we are playing pretty quick then catch up to a group in front and start having to wait my game gets much worse.

This was not a weather delay, as Addictedtugolf pointed out. Inkster could have done a lot of things to stay loose. She could have done some stretching. She could have swung a couple of clubs. She could have gone for a jog. Even taken a nap. Instead, she chose to use a training device, which is precisely what a weighted club is, and got herself disqualified. I'm always amazed at the occasional stupidity of professional golfers and their ignorance of the rules. Especially those who behave like third-graders after they're caught and penalized.

I agree - thanks for clarification guys on what the delay was - it's a shame but she obviously knew better and like you said could have done lots of other stuff to loosen up.