"If you hit a bad shot, it will still be a bad shot that you have to take personal responsibility for. That's the core value of golf. No excuses allowed."

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That's former Sun Microsystems CEO and "Flogton" advocate Scott McNealy talking out of both sides of his mouth to John Paul Newport in this week's golf column. This thing just gets more convoluted the more you read.
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2011 USGA Annual Meeting Report

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The dandruff encrusted bluecoat and grey slacks crowd gathered at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort for their annual meeting just miles and seemingly world's away from the roudy Waste Management Open in Scottsdale. The recent scorecard DQ's spiced up the cocktail reception banter, and based on the guarded remarks from the the rules experts, on a practical level it's going to be incredibly fun watching the USGA, R&A and pro tours try to come to a resolution in time for the looming 2012 rule book finalization.
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Flogton And Saving Golf Through Non-Conforming Equipment

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t's a Friday, there's little news and I'm headed to the USGA Annual Meeting to hear how the bluecoats are progressing on year eight of the ball study. Since I couldn't find any interesting news to post, my time was spent giving the Flogton website a look. These are the Northern California dudes who have enlisted former Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy to promote their concept to make golf more accessible, more fun and younger.
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"I urge you to stay strong and just say no to rangefinders and GPS devices. I want to play slower. I want inaccurate yardages when I compete on poorly marked courses."

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Gary Van Sickle melts down over the continued ban on rangefinder use during PGA Tour play, an issue on the priority list somewhere between "revisiting the gallery ropes" and "should we send out scorers with each group."
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"Greenkeepers should also cut two holes on half of the greens, especially in club competitions. The golfer could play to the one nearest the place the ball finishes."

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Lorne Rubenstein doesn't sound too enthused about Mark King's suggestion to re-write the rules of golf and offers his own sarcastic rebuttal that sounds eerily similar to the serious proposal from the Flogton folks.

Thanks to reader John for a long overdue link to a Rubenstein column!

Amateurs who cannot prove they can carry the ball 175 yards should be forced to play courses no longer than 5,000 yards. All amateurs should be allowed to carry as many clubs as they want. If they want to drive a cart alone with two bags full of clubs, the rules should enable that. Just think what that would do for the equipment industry.

The amateur golfer should be allowed 10 do-overs a round. Moreover, the amateur who does not break 100 at least once every 10 rounds should be allowed to try every shot twice. Why should golf be so onerous, when even a pro baseball player gets three strikes before he’s outta there.

Then there’s sand. Amateurs hate sand, even with 60-degree wedges, a club that helps Phil Mickelson, not Phil Flail. An amateur should be allowed three toss-outs a round. The rules must allow no more than one shot in a bunker. Should the golfer not get out on the first try, the rules must compel a throw toward the hole. Underhand, sidearm or overhand would be allowed.

Meanwhile, consider the dimensions of the hole. There’s no reason, other than hundreds of years of history, that the hole should be so small. Double the size, at least. Make it square. Greenkeepers should also cut two holes on half of the greens, especially in club competitions. The golfer could play to the one nearest the place the ball finishes.

Taylor CEO Calls For Bifurcating Pro And Amateur Rules

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Friday we learned that Taylor Made's Mark King, who just eight years ago couldn't see the makings of trouble down the road now wants a re-write of the rules because the game is not growing.

Now in an online video interview posted Saturday at Golfweek.com he goes further, calling for all-out bifurcation that manufacturers have steadfastly refused to even consider as an alternative best suiting the game (skip to the two minute mark unless you want to hear him hump the new white driver).

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