There is a very simple answer to this issue: Style points. If you make a par on a par-4, but went 3-wood, 8-iron, putt, putt, then you get no style points and your score is a four. If you made the same four on a hole, but went pitching wedge, driver, chip, tap-in with the back of a 3-wood, you could end up subtracting three style points, meaning you made a hole-in-one.
Tiger made a great chip-in at the Memorial. The U.S. judge gave him three style points, but the Romanian judge was less than impressed, said he's made the same shot numerous times, and Tiger shouldn't get any style points.
If the USGA wants to get players to use driver off the tee, just give the player style points that get subtracted from their score. Wouldn't it be great to see players trying to hit drivers off of a hole like No. 8 at Pebble? Add in the shot clock, and it could make golf on TV fun to watch.
Cheers,
Dan King
I can't exactly describe it, but as I looked at the putt, the hole looked as big as a wash tub, I suddenly became convinced I couldn't miss. All I tried to do was keep the sensation by not questioning it.
--Jack Fleck (on the final round of the 1955 U.S. Open at Olympic club, where he tied Ben Hogan, and went on to beat him in the playoff the next day)