Sunday, August 19, 2007

Sometimes I am asked why I criticize the logic of the Rules Of Golf. That was the same question asked to our founding fathers about the rules of taxation in 1776, but they chose to fight injustice rather than just live with it. Good thing they did, or else you would be having tea and crumpets every day instead of Starbucks. Then I am asked to give an example of injustice. OK, if you are in the middle of your swing, and the ball happens to move either from the wind or from soft grass giving way, whatever, the rules say you caused the ball to move, so it is a penalty, even if you stop your swing. But you did not cause the ball to move. Is that justice or injustice? If you think that is a just penalty, then I think you are incapable of rational thought. There are many more examples of similar injustices that, in my opinion, have no business imposing penalties for reasons that have nothing to do with the skill of the game. How people can honor such nonsense is a mystery to me.