The more I watch this, the more the cynic in me really wonders if the USGA has it in for DJ.

Golf is the ultimate game of integrity. Guy says he didn't make the ball move, should be end of story.

 

If I'm in doubt at all next time it happens but I really think I didn't make the ball move, do I call the rules official over?

 

It would be interesting if the action was to ask your playing partners if they agree with your assessment. And if they do - even in the US Open - its done.

 

There no rules issue - it was a pure judgement (bad judgement) call using video that any ordinary golfer would be subject to.

 

I have still never figured out how spectators could be standing in an bunker. But that ghost is not buried.

Golf is the ultimate game of integrity. Guy says he didn't make the ball move, should be end of story.

 

If I'm in doubt at all next time it happens but I really think I didn't make the ball move, do I call the rules official over?

 

Totally agree Papa. I am glad Rory, Jordan and Rickie called out the USGA for this craziness. The USGA is so lucky it did not end as a one stroke win either way. The goof ball from the USGA actually said they asked Dustin "how else could the ball have moved"...like it is his job to know...how about because the greens are running about 15 on the stimp meter and have been triple rolled today??

Edited June 20, 201610 yr by ggclfan

It would be interesting if the action was to ask your playing partners if they agree with your assessment. And if they do - even in the US Open - its done.

 

There no rules issue - it was a pure judgement (bad judgement) call using video that any ordinary golfer would be subject to.

 

I have still never figured out how spectators could be standing in an bunker. But that ghost is not buried.

 

They said that Westwood (his playing partner) told him at the time that he didn't cause the ball to move.

Golf is the ultimate game of integrity. Guy says he didn't make the ball move, should be end of story.

 

If I'm in doubt at all next time it happens but I really think I didn't make the ball move, do I call the rules official over?

 

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but the way I understood it was, if he hadn't called the rules official over when he did, it would've been a two stroke penalty (because he wouldn't have replaced the ball to its original location). So, you're sort of in a catch-22 situation.

Rules guy basically said, "If we think there's a 51 percent chance or better that the player caused the ball to move, we call the penalty." Evidently doesn't matter what the player or his playing partner say.

Totally agree Papa. I am glad Rory, Jordan and Rickie called out the USGA for this craziness. The USGA is so lucky it did not end as a one stroke win either way. The goof ball from the USGA actually said they asked Dustin "how else could the ball have moved"...like it is his job to know...how about because the greens are running about 15 on the stimp meter and have been triple rolled today??

 

As I mentioned in an earlier post, on Saturday between rounds 1 & 2, was lucky to have extensive dialogue with one of Oakmont's young superintendents. He explained then how hard they had been working to get the greens in U. S. Open shape and they would be there by Sunday. They wanted the greens so slick that a ballmark might slide backwards. That is exactly what the USGA got on Sunday. DJ's ball oscillation was clearly caused by those conditions (14+ on stimp meter, uphill lie, and gravity). Replay was very clear. The USGA spokesman based his ruling because DJ could not explain what caused the ball movement, other than himself. Weak, weak, weak! USGA officiating appeared to need their moment of displaying their power. Bad and unnecessary interpretation. "Guilty until proven innocent" interpretation was absurd and a farce (some player's words).

Rules guy basically said, "If we think there's a 51 percent chance or better that the player caused the ball to move, we call the penalty." Evidently doesn't matter what the player or his playing partner say.

 

I saw the replay of this exchange late last night.

 

Somewhat surprised at the logic of how they handled it - still.

 

Though DJ never contacted the ball or grounded the putter when it moved they wanted to ask him 'what else could it be if you did not cause it'? Talk about being assumed guilty. So he was put into a position of explaining something that if he could not explain they were calling him out as a liar. Wow.

 

And then to not formally assess the penalty and leave him, and the field, in limbo was compounding the situation.

 

 

The only way I think 'he caused the ball to move' is something that would not considered by the player or the officials - static electricity. The practice strokes were quick, short movements next to (but never touching) the ball but they were touching the grass on the green. A minuscule static charge may have built up on the bottom of putter. And with a green that was like glass and offered almost no friction the charge of the bottom of the putter may have influenced the ball as he hovered behind it with the putter bottom about half way even with the ball. Static electricity will act on anything nearby - even a non-metal golf ball.

 

They should take some emery cloth, rub the bottom of a putter and try it on a 15 stemp-meter green. May be interesting.

Rules guy basically said, "If we think there's a 51 percent chance or better that the player caused the ball to move, we call the penalty." Evidently doesn't matter what the player or his playing partner say.

 

This is the part that bothers me.

Also, why have a walking official with every group if there opinion doesn't matter? Guy makes a decision and his bosses say, "Let's make sure Pete got this right and look at it some more."

It seems like once the walking official with the group makes the call, the governing body goes with his/her decision.

Either way, I'm happen for DJ. I hope the interaction with he and the USGA official went something like this:

USGA: "Well Dustin, we've decided to penalize you one shot."

DJ: "Ok, that's cool. Up yours. Now give me my trophy and my check."

Under the Rules of Golf, a one stroke penalty under Rule 18-2 "will be assessed only after the facts determine that the player caused the ball to move." DJ standing immediately over the ball is the only one able to see everything and he said he did not cause it to move. Playing partner concurred. Good enough for Rules Official accompanying the group to concur, not assess penalty and not order ball replaced. These officials have forced their interpretation which has gone from "the facts determine the player caused the ball to move" to the perverted "the facts prove the player did not cause the ball to move". This is a major difference and equivalent to guilty until you prove yourself innocent and you and your partner's opinion has no value. All the replay showed is that he never touched the ball, nor grounded his club behind the ball. The ball occilated backwards which could readily be understood by any golfer playing on 15 stimp meter greens and an uphill lie. It is called gravity stupid and is as simple as one blade of grass could have wearied and released a fragile hold allowing the ball to occilate. The USGA was grossly inept in this ruling and completely lost site of the intention of this Rule. Between the performance of the USGA President at the awards presentation and the ineptitude of this ruling it was a bad day for the USGA at the one opportunity they have annually to shine. Wonder how many of us members will seriously want to think through the value of what our membership dues are going toward.

$1.8 Million + first major + Paulina - 1 penalty stroke = A very good day.

To my gravity argument, I probably saw 25-30 shots come up short of 18 green on the right front. Many of them stopped for multiple seconds before gravity taking over and rolling the balls as much as 30 yards down the hill. USGA got their Open conditions they wanted by Sunday which led directly to the ocillstion of DJ's ball. It was the clowns perverting Rule 18-2 that caused the embarrassment for the game. Wonder how many young people wll avoid the game because it's rules certainly are too complicated, takes too long to develope any expertise, too long to play, and is too expensive. Wow! USGA sure laid an egg in promoting the game on Sunday.

To my gravity argument, I probably saw 25-30 shots come up short of 18 green on the right front. Many of them stopped for multiple seconds before gravity taking over and rolling the balls as much as 30 yards down the hill. USGA got their Open conditions they wanted by Sunday which led directly to the ocillstion of DJ's ball. It was the clowns perverting Rule 18-2 that caused the embarrassment for the game. Wonder how many young people wll avoid the game because it's rules certainly are too complicated, takes too long to develope any expertise, too long to play, and is too expensive. Wow! USGA sure laid an egg in promoting the game on Sunday.

 

Young people are already avoiding the game, for all the reason you mention. Go to any golf course on a Saturday, and you won't see many 20 somethings. The golf crowd is aging rapidly, without many to replace them. I sure wouldn't want to own a golf course right now.

Young people are already avoiding the game, for all the reason you mention. Go to any golf course on a Saturday, and you won't see many 20 somethings. The golf crowd is aging rapidly, without many to replace them. I sure wouldn't want to own a golf course right now.

 

Concur 100%. Afraid I love a dying game. Son was a Class A Pro that left the game 10 years ago when the handwriting began to be legible.