" I actually have a copy of the decisions that I read from time to time (actually, it's fantastic bathroom fare!),"
Dan:
I love that. I've been officiating for about twenty five years now but I may be one of the only ones who's never been to USGA Rules School. And in a sense I'm sort of glad I never have, and frankly, at this point, I don't think I'd want to go or I might go on some rant over something like what I call "Rules Creep" and what I consider to be that insidious logic within the Rules of Golf.
l've always come at Rules from a different perspective than every other Rules official I know and those that I work with. I come at Rules from reading most everything about the Rules and their history and evolution and memorizing the entire Decisions on the Rules of Golf as well as officiating.
In some certain ways I may even be considered a radical liberal "on-course" when I officiate and that's because my intutiion has always told me to try to protect players from Rules complications and intracies that can sometimes become overbearing to the natural playing of golf. I often think too many Rules experts and officials are just trying to catch golfers like an overbearing policeman who is too concerned about the letter rather than the spirit of the Law. I certainly do realize Rules officials do need to apply their interpretations and rulings equitably across the board but I'm not one who attempts to look into some situations for some nefarious "intent" that probably just isn't there.
Where did I memorize the Decisions on the Rules of Golf? Well, it took me about ten or so years but I did it all in one place---on the toilet.
In my opinion, there is nothing much worse than sitting on the toilet or sitting in a bath tub with nothing to read and the Decision on the Rules of Golf was always my sole and distinct choice.