USGA Comes To Its Senses — Modifies, Clarifies The ‘Dustin Johnson’ Rule

Finally, the USGA has stopped the insanity.

You might recall last June when the USGA fumbled, bumbled and stumbled then basically threw up all over their fancy blazers and starched shirts.

You might recall how Dustin Johnson thought his ball wobbled a bit on the fifth green of the final round of the 2016 U.S. Open.  He called in the rules official walking with him and explained the situation.  On the spot, the rules official, a very prominent member of the USGA, ruled no penalty, Johnson did not cause his golf ball to move while taking practice strokes away from the golf ball.

But the USGA, in its infinite insanity or lack of wisdom, whichever you prefer, haunted D.J., told him they were further reviewing the situation, basically leaving him dangling in the winds of uncertainty.

It would have been easy for any player to come unglued but Johnson stayed the course, overcame the stupidity of the USGA and won by three shots.  After his round, they hit him with a one-shot penalty.

Well, now we will not have any repeats of that circus any more.

Mike Davis, the USGA’s Executive Director, announced this week that there will be no more such nonsense going forward.

“There were simply too many times on the putting greens where we were seeing players penalized, balls moving, we weren’t sure the cause.  What’s been happening is that you’re seeing penalties assessed that the rules never really contemplated.”

A local rule has been added and it reads:

“When a player’s ball lies on the putting green, there is no penalty if the ball or ball marker is accidentally moved by the player, his opponent or any of their caddies or equipment.  If it is determined that the player’s ball on the putting green was moved as a result of wind, water or some other natural cause such as the effects of gravity, the ball must be played as it lies from its new location.”

So goodbye and good riddance to a bull-spit rule.

The new rule will be adapted by all tours and all championships put on by the USGA and the R&A.