Running 2010 PGA Thread

Hey, he could have tapped a put in with his handle.

 

Two questions - was there a map of all the bunkers available to the players? After all, many courses cover some areas with sand because of grass death or large divots. "All sand should be treated as a bunker" is a stupid rule and not the rationale the PGA Tour said they used. The clarification was that all things that were bunkers in the original design of the course were considered bunkers no matter where they were. That makes sense, but it's the PGA's responsibility to make sure that information is available.

Two - why was this not maintained as a bunker? It clearly had grass growing in it, no rake and people allowed to tromp through it all day. The rules are set up for bunkers that are maintained. Allowing that to be considered a bunker is as bad as allowing grass to grow three inches long but calling it a "green."

The rule the PGA cited has a note that blue dots will mark the border of the bunker if necessary. If this little patch has blue dots around it, then Johnson was dumb. If it doesn't, then the PGA screwed up its own rules because there's no clear edge to that patch of grass and sand.

 

I learned one thing. Next time I'm playing someone for money, I should bring a bucket from my local beach.

 

I think the spirt of the rule for keeping your blade out of the sand is you can test the firmness of the sand with practice swings. That would give a player an unfair advantage. Also, not allowing people to practice swing in bunkers keeps up the inegrity of the course just like you are not allowed to use nothing other than a putter on the putting surface (I think that is correct).

The last thing I would want to hit into is a bunker filled with 15 divots because a guy in front of me was taking 10 practice swings - just like I would not want to see a divot on a green.

 

Here is a question no one from the PGA or The Straits can answer: If a bunker isn't maintained like that one was, then were does it end and where does it begin? What if Johnson's drive had been in a sandy area but also one with grass? If a bunker doesn't have a lip, isn't raked and has fans standing in it, it should be classified as a waste area. The foundation for the entire course is sand. Let's say there is sand mixed with dirt on the tee box. Is that now a bunker?

I agree that Johnson should have asked, or clarified what was going on, but he's too damn quick of a player. He punished himself for essentially doing the opposite of what most professional golfers do. He got to his ball, took a look at the hole, got the yardage, took one calm practice swing and ripped it. Mickelson or Tiger would have been debating and talking that shot over for a good five minutes (it was, after all, for a major championship), which is part of reason why they're who they are, and Dustin Johnson is the kind of guy who tried to hit a shot left handed on the second hole of the final round of the U.S. Open (while leading!) and made an eight.

I still think the Straits is too gimmicky and shouldn't be hosting three PGA Championships spaced only five years apart. It's not that special of a course.

 

Somebody enlighten me here: Don't they fine players who don't rake the bunkers. if that's the case, Johnson probably should be fined because his caddie didn't rake that bunker on 18.

 

DD - Here's a partial answer to your question. This is attached to the local rules about the bunkers.

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,2010877,00.html

That's what led to my question of were there blue dots around the area Johnson was in.

 

Interesting point by AP golf writer Doug Ferguson on Twitter:

"What if marshals had done a better job clearing out fans to make it CLEAR to DJ he was in a bunker? Marshals a disgrace in so many ways here"

 

This is why golf is bullshit at times.
I saw none of this but reading about it leaves me wth one thought ... Johnson was screwed because golf officials are pompous assholes.