DaveP043

I had a Gustbuster umbrella in my bag for years, maybe decades. I never had anything break, but after that long it did develop a few leaks, but it was a whole lot better than being out in the rain. the double canopy design really works, I never had the unbrella go inside-out, even in some really bad wind. Recently I bought a Titleist double-canopy umbrella that will replace the old faithful, mostly because I won a few bucks in shop credit in a VSGA one-day event. I know the Gustbusters are pricey, so are the Titleists, but if I'm in a monsoon, the price won't really mater if I stay dry.

Yeah, where but Scotland can you actually play the national open courses at all?

So play #2, have lunch at the Old Clubhouse Restaurant, and then play #3. In 2018, that second round cost 17 pounds. Look at the difference between the cost of a Round, and a Day pass. OTOH, #1 has hosted the Scottish Open. Where else can you play a course that's hosted its national open for that price?

You're probably going to be done in 3:30 or less, based on my two rounds there. Golf in Scotland is pretty fast, especially if you get away from the real "tourist" courses. FWIW, I think we played in about 2:30 for our afternoon foursome round at Muirfield. (Foursome being alternate shot, two balls in play for four players)

I'm not picking on you, I think 4:30 can be reasonable at some courses, but its not universal. Here's a indication that much faster play is expected at some courses: Note that this is all for players walking, not in carts (buggies).

I was merely responding to the idea that golf violations are questioned .more than any other sport. Thats clearly not the case.

Hmmmm do you watch baseball or football on TV? The commentators are questioning dozens of calls or no-calls every game. The questioning in golf is so much less frequent. As for aces, the attitudes have been driven by magazines and equipment makers, the ones who offer some kind of reward, but only if you have a witness. In my mind, if you make an ace, you've made an ace.

Nah, just a little study. Notice I posted the actual rule numbers. I recommend that folks go look them up and read for themselves. First, there's a bit more to each rule, but more important, you might start to learn to use the rules on your own. The phone app is really easy to use.

From Rule 7.1, about searching: "In trying to find and identify the ball, the player may remove loose impediments as allowed in Rule 15.1 " From Rule 15.1, about Loose Impediments (unattached leaves are Loose Impediments) "Without penalty, a player may remove a loose impediment anywhere on or off the course, and may do so in any way (such as by using a hand or foot, using a club or other equipment, getting help from others or breaking off part of a loose impediment)" "In any way" means that leaf blowers are acceptable. However, be careful in removing leaves once you've found your ball, if you ball moves you get one Penalty Stroke.

No doubt you're right, I'm much shorter and I still play about 6200 yards at my home club. When I travel, I generally look for tees in the 6000-6200 yard range. I said earlier, when I play VSGA one-day events, my age group (I'm 68) plays 5700-5800 yards, and I hit more short irons. I'd have fun playing 5300 yards, which might be even more appropriate to my driving distance, although I hardly ever do that.

Yeah, I know it happens, that's why I said "most" of the courses. I'm happy it worked out for you. I know most of us wouldn't encourage this, but returning green speeds to something similar to what Ross had to work with would also speed up play. Slopes appropriate for 1920s green speeds are somewhere between terrifying and impossible with currently possible speeds.

This is maybe the third post I've read that seems lifted from some other publication, or generated by AI. Nevertheless, I'll respond. As for Pace of Play, we have thousands of other posts discussing that, I won't go down that rabbit hole. As for enjoyment, I think it might take a large change in attitude for many golfers before they willingly play a shorter tee. For me, I can find challenge and enjoyment no matter which tees I play, but I've heard and read a lot of folks say "Its no fun (or no challenge) playing a shorter course". They're just wrong, or they don't don't understand golf. The goal is to shoot the lowest possible score from whatever tees you play, on whatever course you play. At my home club, I play at about 6200 yards, those are the "normal" men's tees. "Senior tees are something like 500 yards shorter. When I play in Virginia State Golf Association one-day events, I play at about 5800 yards, because that's what tees my age group is assigned to. I have fun either way, its just a different challenge. In fact, the challenge from the shorter tees might be even greater, I have to shoot a significantly lower score to "play to my handicap".

That's fine if you're building a new course, but its impractical for most of the thousands of courses currently in operation. You're talking about taking holes, or entire courses, out of operation for months at a time, costing lots of money in construction, and losing lots of money from the revenue stream. Are players going to willingly pay for those improvements in the form of higher dues or greens fees? I'd say probably not.

I'm now recovering (slowly) from pretty severe sciatica caused in large part by lumbar stenosis. I imagine its a combination of bad genetics and old age. The cat-cow stretches and bridges are a part of the PT exercises prescribed for me to help strengthen the lower back and core muscles.

All good, I hope you didn't get the impression that I was attacking you. I've played in a fair number of scrambles over then past 5 decades, and I can't say I've ever seen a ball left in a spot where it might help the next player. Maybe I'm off-base with my own opinion. If there's any doubt, its best to ask the tournament organizers to be certain.