Ohio Golf Journal November 2018

The R&A and the USGA, the co-arbiters of the Rules of Golf should be congratulated for their efforts to simplify the Rules of Golf in their most recent edition, which will take effect on January 1, 2019. However, these two organizations have missed the boat with the recent reinterpretation of Rule 4.3 (Use of Equipment) covering information players may use to describe the topography of putting surfaces, the “greens reading books.” In a USGA press release, Thomas Pagel, the Senior Managing Director of Governance for the USGA was quoted, n4HESE LATEST MODIÚCATIONS PROVIDE VERY PRACTICAL CHANGES THAT MAKE THE INTERPRETATION EASIER TO UNDERSTAND AND APPLY IN THE ÚELDo To say skepticism runs rampant would be an understatement. Quoting from an earlier column, n53'! 3HOOTS 4HEMSELVES IN THE &OOTc!GAINo n4HE 53'!mS STIPULATION THAT TODAYmS GREEN READING BOOKS GIVE AN ADVANTAGE TO PLAYERS DOESNmT HOLD UP 'REEN READING BOOKS OF THE TYPE THE 53'! IS BANNING ARE USED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY BY ELITE PLAYERS AND MOST COMMONLY NO BLOOD NO FOUL, HAS THE USGA LOST TOUCH? By Ed Travis O h i o G o l f J o u rn a l