Will DeChambeau's Win Lead to Rules Changes?

[Carl Johnson]

Golf Channel article  -- Rory says Bryson is taking advantage of the rules we have now . . . implying that we need some rule changes to stop this guy?  Rory mentions only the straight, locked arm putting style (which a few other pros use variations of, too).  Is Rory suggesting this putting style has to go?  What other rules might he have in mind?  Or is this just silly?

[Jerry Kluger]

Bryson said he is going to a 48" driver for more distance.  I guess sky's the limit.  I really wonder if it was his length that won him the tournament or was it his strength and ability to play out of the tall grass.

[JimB]

I was thinking the tee height rule is the most obvious one Bryson benefits from.

[Ronald Montesano]

I'm sick of him abusing the not-grounding-your-club rule. Started with that lard-a$$ from Ohio, back in the late 1950s. Who do they think they are, hovercraft?


It's funny to see under-educated Rory (no college) so jealous of Bryson's intellect. I'm sure that many others feel like Clan of the Cave Bear man when seated next to #BigBangTheory at the trough.

[James Reader]

Two things I think they should do (but won’t).  Ban green-reading books and enforce the 40-second rule.  Did Bryson hit one shot of more than 3 feet in less than 40 seconds all week?

[Tim Martin]

I'm sick of him abusing the not-grounding-your-club rule. Started with that lard-a$$ from Ohio, back in the late 1950s. Who do they think they are, hovercraft?


It's funny to see under-educated Rory (no college) so jealous of Bryson's intellect. I'm sure that many others feel like Clan of the Cave Bear man when seated next to #BigBangTheory at the trough.

Seems as if Rory answered the questions candidly. I did not detect any jealously or lack of intellect.

[jeffwarne]

Two things I think they should do (but won’t).  Ban green-reading books and enforce the 40-second rule.  Did Bryson hit one shot of more than 3 feet in less than 40 seconds all week?

THAT I can get on board with.
The rest?


I'm a noted rollback/bifurcation guy. but NOW(due to one great performance) is NOT the time to suddenly decide the ball/clubs are too hot.
The window has been open for 20 years, and suddenly the world notices because of one guy's perceived advantage?
he's won 1 major, and wasn't even the leading driver.
Even Rory outdrove him on the week.(Rory's is off base here and wreaks of sour grapes-and I'm a big fan of his)


Arm lock putting is a mere innovation of technique and if it was an advantage EVERYBODY would be doing it, the same as EVERYBODY is playing a face caving, lightweight , oversized, 45 inch hot driver and a multilayer distace and spin ball,
I'm not a Bryson fan due to his pace and constant Spiethlike whining, but he earned this win through hard work and innovation, as well as an all around outstanding game.
Brsyon hit more fairways this week than roughly 118 players, finishing T-26th in the field, hitting more fairways than multiple short hitters.


The USGA and anyone else complaining/disturbed about his length need look no further than the mirror to see the "culprit"


I have NO problem with a long, dominant hitter.
In fact.my problem is that the equipment is so hot that the dominant long hitter can rarely separate themselves because everybody is long and the courses often rein the long hitters in(see TPC, see lmany.most links)-for that matter see Wiged Foot and its ribbons of firm and fast


I would bet Bryson and Wolff would benefit from a rollback as now par 5's would be out of Webb's reach and they could hit 8 irons rather than PWs to par 5's.
See obsolete #9 at Winged Foot, the first par 69 to host a US Open.Two guys in final group hit PW's for second shot and made 3's.


The horse left the barn a long, long time ago, and the world (maybe even me) moved on-on the distance issue.
Perhaps more study will do the trick.


OT-Winged Foot was a wonderful test, and Bryson played great and separated himself.
as great to see slope , tilt and contour return, and every downhill putt not play the exact same(as in just tap and it settles at the hole) The scariest downhill putt is one that it is possible to leave it short and have the same problem i.e. judgement is required rather than just a nudge bailed out by "fairness" of hole location. (nearly every modern tier is designed like this) due to anticipated speed)

[Rob Marshall]

"Arm lock putting is a mere innovation of technique and if it was an advantage EVERYBODY would be doing it"


Jeff, I'm not looking to be argumentative. But, I've never understood that argument. That technique is being used for the simple reason that the user can't putt well enough conventionally, at least in their mind to compete with the other players. It allows them to elevate their putting so that they can be competitive. It is an advantage, to Bryson. In my mind you are supposed to swing the club. The USGA and the R&A say he's swinging it, so it's legal.

When he first came on tour wasn't he putting side saddle or something close to that?

[jeffwarne]

"Arm lock putting is a mere innovation of technique and if it was an advantage EVERYBODY would be doing it"


Jeff, I'm not looking to be argumentative. But, I've never understood that argument. That technique is being used for the simple reason that the user can't putt well enough conventionally, at least in their mind to compete with the other players. It allows them to elevate their putting so that they can be competitive. It is an advantage, to Bryson. In my mind you are supposed to swing the club. The USGA and the R&A say he's swinging it, so it's legal.

When he first came on tour wasn't he putting side saddle or something close to that?

I guess as a teacher, I will never be able to get on board with an individual innovation of TECHNIQUE that helps a player(within the written and REWRITTEN rules) being outlawed, when only a select few adopt it. Especially when such an innovation's legality and advantage is merely an opinion of some. As i said, if it was so advantageous, everyone would do it-and we clearly disagree.
No greens or golf courses have EVER been redesigned , or eliminated from a rota due to this or other putting innovations., s I see no harm to the game.


Slightly OT-but when I try to armlock my stroke hardly changes as I really don't "swing the putter" with my normal convention grip and stroke.
 I'll never understand what Tiger means by releasing the the putter(my left wrist remains in a forward pressed position-without an armlock- and I use a putter with my conventional grip and stroke --with loft like Bryson)
I think any decent lawyer could destroy the putter must "swing" argument.


What's not an opinion, is that EVERY single player in the field  uses (lalso legal)equipment innovations that have clearly altered the game, and have to the demise and /or alteration of EVERY single competitive courses, as well as thousands of others(perhaps needlessly)


I guess I clearly have less problems with technique innovations than I do with golf becoming NASCAR where every technology tolerance is pushed within an inch of its life and eventually every single player hits it farther than they ever did, whether they embrace a fitness regime or not-regardless of age.


I just say let's get the low hanging, damage inducing fruit first.
The athlete thing just doesn't fly when you look at Fred Couples and others  who do not work out distance gains over the years.
Of course improving one's fitness clearly helps, with Bryson (and many others)as the poster child.


Bryson would benefit from a rollback IMHO, as he could hit MORE driers.

[John Crowley]

I'm sick of him abusing the not-grounding-your-club rule. Started with that lard-a$$ from Ohio, back in the late 1950s. Who do they think they are, hovercraft?


It's funny to see under-educated Rory (no college) so jealous of Bryson's intellect. I'm sure that many others feel like Clan of the Cave Bear man when seated next to #BigBangTheory at the trough.

Seems as if Rory answered the questions candidly. I did not detect any jealously or lack of intellect.


Agreed. Also, lack of college has nothing to do with native intellect.

[Ben Sims]

Jeff,

I’m not so sure, I think this weekend was a sort of watershed moment for me. The difference is that Bryson essentially called his shot. He told everyone what he was going to do at WF, and then did it.  I laughed at his claimed strategy in his pre-tournament interviews. I shouldn’t have.

He proved that rough isn’t really a detriment. He proved that slow play isn’t on any governing body’s radar. He proved that contacting a putter grip up ones’ forearm isn’t going to be looked upon as a rules infraction any time soon. He showed how taking the performance of the modern ball and turning it on its ear will produce outlier results.

In my opinion, we’ve been using that “one terrific performance” argument for along time here at GCA. By the by, what happens at Augusta in November without patrons?

[Kalen Braley]

Seems like a simple enough rule could be written: "At address, the club shall touch no other parts of your body, except your hands".

By having a club handle that goes halfway up his arm, he's effectively anchoring the club to his body...

[David Federman]

Doesn't the left hand low (for a right handed golfer) also anchor the putter against the left wrist?

[Kalen Braley]

Doesn't the left hand low (for a right handed golfer) also anchor the putter against the left wrist?

I've tried this grip a few times and it doesn't.  Your left wrist area is touching your fingers on the other hand, not the club itself.

[David Ober]

Seems like a simple enough rule could be written: "At address, the club shall touch no other parts of your body, except your hands".

By having a club handle that goes halfway up his arm, he's effectively anchoring the club to his body...

Would you be in favor of such a rule, Kalen?

[Pete_Pittock]

Seems like a simple enough rule could be written: "At address, the club shall touch no other parts of your body, except your hands".

By having a club handle that goes halfway up his arm, he's effectively anchoring the club to his body...

It doesn't.  It adds a fulcrum. Instead of using what is in essence a board with which to putt he is choosing a teeter-totter.

[Peter Flory]

I was recently watching a replay of Daly's win at Crooked Stick.  On the 18th hole, Nance said something like "It's no secret that John Daly is long... REAL LONG, here he is hitting Driver, 8 iron on this 445 yard 18th hole!  That's right folks, 8 iron." The shortest player on tour would now expect to hit exactly that. 

Daly had similar swing speed as the modern bombers. 

[Edward Glidewell]

Funnily enough, based on strokes gained driving, Rory was actually significantly better than DeChambeau at the US Open there. Rory led the field and was almost 1.6 strokes better than Bryson, who finished third (Bubba Watson actually finished second).

Rory was 41st in the field in strokes gained approach and 39th in strokes gained around the greens, though. Bryson was 3rd in the field in strokes gained approach and 2nd in strokes gained around the greens. Seems like it was the iron play and short game that won him the tournament, not length off the tee.



Of course, his strength was still a factor in being able to get the ball on/near the greens out of the rough, and if he had to hit longer clubs out of that rough it would have been more difficult to do so.

[JLahrman]

I'm sick of him abusing the not-grounding-your-club rule. Started with that lard-a$$ from Ohio, back in the late 1950s. Who do they think they are, hovercraft?


It's funny to see under-educated Rory (no college) so jealous of Bryson's intellect. I'm sure that many others feel like Clan of the Cave Bear man when seated next to #BigBangTheory at the trough.

Seems as if Rory answered the questions candidly. I did not detect any jealously or lack of intellect.

I agree; I like Rory partially because he's more willing to answer questions candidly than most of the guys out there. Then people think he's jealous, or petty, or dumb, or what-not. It's no wonder most of these guys do anything other than grunt at questions. I actually think Rory was being complimentary of Bryson doing everything he can to maximize his chances under the current rules.