Changes to the rules of golf

Why would putting with a flag stick in be a thing? Why would anyone do that if there are caddies who can easily walk up and pull it out

 

I thought the reason its important is that it filters down to all levels.

If I am playing "ready golf" at the muni, but we have a couple of bucks riding on it, I can putt (and possibly make the putt) while my friend is still off the green. And we aren't putting in and taking back out the flag.

 

Anything to speed up the game already.

 

That rangefinders at any level seems like an effort to get PGA Tour players some more endorsement money. I'm sure Bushnell or Nikon would love to have a player using one on 18 at The Masters on Sunday.

 

Don't forget that just because the USGA allows the use of rangefinders, Augusta National or the PGA Tour can have a local rule forbidding them.
I'm as much of a stickler for the rules as most people but I have no problem with rangefinders. Half the courses I play have them on the carts anyway.
I wish they had gotten rid of stroke-and-distance for OB.
I applaud forbidding caddies from lining up players. It's part of the game to know how to align yourself. This was a problem almost exclusive to the LPGA. Now, a caddie has to move away as soon as the player takes a stance.
Some other proposals haven't been mentioned:
- If a ball ricochets off the lip of a bunker or tree and hits you, it's no longer a penalty (just play it as it lies).
- You can ground your club in a hazard as long as you're not testing the surface or improving your lie.
- If you accidentally touch or move your ball anywhere, you can replace it as near as you can to the original spot, no closer to the hole. This includes the greens, a rule that bit Dustin Johnson in the ass at the U.S. Open.
- If video evidence shows your ball moved on the green, no harm, no foul, unless it can be proven you did it on purpose.
- You can play with a damaged club during the round.
- If you want to declare an unplayable lie in a bunker, you can take the ball out of the bunker and take a two-shot penalty.
- And the Rules will be reduced from 34 to 24. That decisions book got a whole lot thinner.

 

I've always played "finders-keepers" golf. At my level, keeping the inventory as stocked as possible is important, so if I'm looking for my lost ball and find another ball that is abandoned but not mine, I say "Good enough!" and line it up. Finding more than you lose puts a silver lining on every round.

Also, I play most of my rounds solo and for exercise and almost never pull the pin unless someone is behind me and then, mostly to let them know when they have the all-clear.

 

Isn't the indignity penalty enough?

 

It's in the AP story. Maggert's case was the first one cited of past rules snafus that won't be an issue under the new rules. You hit yourself with your second shot, you find it and play your third.

 

I assume the rangefinder rule is to prevent caddies from doing those long marches back and forth from chip shots, long bunker shots, etc,, not that they have anyone in particular in mind, right, Jordan?