Scott First Of Many To Put USGA On Notice Over Setup, Rules

Take your pick of issues--TV rulings, greens too fast for contours, tough setups, green reading books, purse value--pro golfers have the USGA on their radar. The next few weeks will provide an opportunity for both sides to jockey for their positions, starting with course setup.

With Chambers Bay driving much conjecture given Erin Hills' similar newness as a venue, Adam Scott's comments to Golfweek's Jeff Babineau probably mirror the views of many players fearing a repeat.

“Maybe it’s time to do away with the even-par target, just thinking about the bigger picture of the game of golf,” Scott said after finishing up at Memorial on Sunday, where he shot 74 to finish at 1-under 287.

“If their major pinnacle event for them requires courses to be the way they are, it doesn’t set a good example for every other bit of golf that they try to promote. Maybe we should get the numbers out of our heads and try a new strategy.”

Good news with Erin Hills: it's far more lush than Chambers Bay and the greens are a pure strain of bent, so almost all issues with balls moving on greens, balls bouncing on greens and balls bouncing over greens, seem unlikely to arise.

Scott's comments on the USGA, however, probably won't get him an invited to the Bobby Jones Award ceremony.

“Whether it’s rules changes or any other decisions they make, I think their process is out,” Scott said. “I just don’t see how they get to some of these decisions. . . . They’re hanging onto the Rules of Golf by a thread, really. That’s why they’re panicky and they’re trying to see what’s going on out here on Tour.”

Interestingly, this is the gripe of many everyday amateur golfers who also just want to play some relaxed, less complicated rules. Every time I get an email asking for the Relaxed Rules bag tag put out by Golf Channel's Morning Drive, it's hard not to wonder why we aren't bifurcating.

Whether all of this speaks to a failed or successful roll out of revised views depends on your point of view. I happen to think that the proposed rules revisions were successful because a mostly positive response suggested golfers wanted what was delivered, only more. So will these last few months and next few weeks help shape and even stronger push to make the rules simpler, cleaner and easier?