Antiquated golf rules

Golf has invariably prided itself on heritage, with its reverence for history presented as proof of its purity, All too often, however, the adherence to customs comes with firmness; rules devised for another era are enforced without question, even when the game itself has evolved. The age of hickory shafts and balata balls has come and gone, and still its sense and sensibility — or, to be precise, lack thereof — seem to cast a shadow over modern athletes, global audiences, and multimillion-dollar tournaments, Instead of letting it breathe, its supposed guardians wind up strangling it with sheer illogic.

- ANTHONY L. CUAYCONG

The other day, the ridiculous rigidity was on display at the US Mid-Amateur Championship; Paul Mitzel lost a playoff simply because his caddie accepted a short cart ride to the 20 hole. Admittedly, the book is clear: under Model Local Rule G-6, neither player nor caddie may ride in motorized transportation unless approved beforehand. And in the absence of the latter, the penalty, automatic and final, was loss of hole — and, therefore, loss of match. It did not matter that the ride conferred no competitive edge. Never mind that he and opponent Ryan O’Rear had battled through an even contest deep into sudden death. Forget about the skill both players displayed en route. When the battlesmoke cleared, the set-to turned on the letter of a law fit for c