Oh My Lord, if this "grounding club in waste bunker" happens...

[V. Kmetz]

Dustin Johnson should sue everyone in sight...the PGA, Whistling Straits, Kohler, Dye, Feherty, a fat guy in a football jersey nearby

i mean it's unfolding now...so let's wait,

but thanks in advance for potentially altering the outcome of a major championship negatively with needless visual architecture.

cheers

vk

[Brian Potash]

Lets add Nantz to the list for good measure. 

[V. Kmetz]

yeah CBS every flunkie...

oh this is exquisitely brutal, now as they are repeating over and over - "cosmetic bunker"  "just a visual" etc, etc...

cheers

vk

[Brian Ross]

Ugh!!!!!  I feel absolutely terrible for Dustin...

[V. Kmetz]

absolute unmitigated bullshit...

no Nantz - it is not DeVincenzo-esque...

what a black-eye for the sport

why in chrissakes shoudl we watch a tournament to have that happen - all on the backs of the organizers.

to say that the crowd can trample an ill-defined "hazard"

where is the rules official who goes with each group?

[V. Kmetz]

f*** the PGA and this mouthpiece wilson...

and to hell with whistling Straits, the biggest mess I've seen

[Ted Harris]

Let's buy Pete and Herb some grass seed and arrange for some GCA volunteers to fill in the majority of those bunkers

[Carl Johnson]

Great topic, but let's relate to the connection between "architecture" and "rules."  Or, "architecture" and something.  For example, I did not know the "they-are-all-bunkers" rule for this event.  Still, if I had, what is "they"?  As a competitor, you'd assume a pro's conservatism.  As a golfer, I'd ask, what is "they"?

[Andy Hodson]

Just awful....but....but..

Sounds like they provided sufficient warning about exactly this thing happening.

Where was the caddie in all this?

Or, like V said, the rules official?

[V. Kmetz]

sorry...where is the official, the scorers and a million other people who follow a lead group

I'll bet you about a million fewer about Kaymer and Bubba - what a shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fred Yanni]

He hits it into the crowd and it turns out to be a bunker which you can't recognize and full of footprints.  PGA trying to say they warned the players. Good for them for protecting the field by allowing spectators in bunkers.  Nice touch.... Worst end to major I can think of

[Phil McDade]

More importantly, where's John VB? (maybe working the tournament...)

Local rule, explained to players before the tournament.

[Cliff Hamm]

Totally defies common sense...Even DF said he never, ever thought it was a bunker...Question?  Do PGA officials ever 'advise' golfers of the rules?  Would it have been appropriate, given the final group of a major, for the PGA official to remind Johnson that he was in a bunker?  Especially, since Wilson stated they had given players a written statement about the bunkers outside the ropes.

[John Moore II]

Great topic, but let's relate to the connection between "architecture" and "rules."  Or, "architecture" and something.  For example, I did not know the "they-are-all-bunkers" rule for this event.  Still, if I had, what is "they"?  As a competitor, you'd assume a pro's conservatism.  As a golfer, I'd ask, what is "they"?

The PGA made a bad call declaring them all bunkers and not waste areas. They made a worse call with the penalty. His ball was sitting on grass. I won't even say what I would have done in his situation after they made that call. I can tell you for certain it wouldn't have been civil and gentlemanly though.

[Joe Fairey]

if the same had happened to Tiger or Phil.....wonder what PGA would have decided....................

[Mark Woodger]

absolutely the worst rules decision ever. who in their right mind says lets "lets call everything a bunker" how about "inside the ropes bunker, outside the ropes not" much easier to understand and follow.

very very sad. my heart bleeds for the guy. he will recover but what a terrible shame.

so glad he missed the putt at 18.

[Edwin Roald]

I believe that on a course like Whistling Straits it is far easier to simply define all sand as "through the green". The championship staff can still play around with which of the "bunkers" they rake before and between each round, possibly also supported by a "bunker raker" in each group.

[Jeff Shelman]

My feeling is this: If they let spectators stand someplace, it isn't a bunker.

[Phil McDade]

One presumes this will come up at Kiawah and the Walker Cup at NGLA in coming years....

If you're going to rip WS for this, might as well rip those courses.

[C. Squier]

Oh come on, the rule is old as dirt.  Sand under ball, don't ground club.  He didn't know it was a bunker?  How did I watching from my couch know it was a bunker?

That said, I feel awful for him and the heartbreak of a year he's had.  Definitely a class act giving interviews and I'll be rooting for him hard in the future.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

All you have to do is ask.  That might not have been the only violation either.  DJ can only blame himself.

[V. Kmetz]

This is everything that myopic tournament administration could be

Of course...there's no such thing as bad publicity in the commercial realm, so the only thing that could be better for commercial Q rating is Woods and Mickelson suicide bombing the scorer's tent holding hands...

but as a matter of Golf this should/will be regarded as a Golf Association's worst contemporary moment, from the rule to this application to the five fold failures and redundancies that should have been in place to prevent comeptitors running afoul of this stupid local condition...

which comes back to Pistling Straits...now the eye candy and the golf calendar shots do IMPACT play.

AND...let's examine all rounds of all competitors, not just the ones on TV, maybe there's 25 scores that are wrong if examined.  

this tournament and this local rule has just nulled themselves

[Ron Csigo]

How can the PGA allow the gallery to walk in these areas if these bunkers are not considered waste bunkers?  

[Will Spivey]

Phil,

That won't be an issue at Kiawah (I'm there right now) as all sand is considered "waste" area and grounding one's club is permitted.

[PGertner]

I feel bad for DJ.  But, I agree with Craig.  Never ground your club in sand.  

Patrick Gertner
Potowomut Golf Club
East Greenwich RI