This camera call bullshit is really bothering me. Nordqvist didn't know she touched the sand, nor did anyone else but the eye-in-the-sky big brother watching. Is it a game of honor or not?
Oh good lord - The USGA President, the gift that keeps on giving
sdandrea1 Well its a game of honor. Looking at the video I don't think there's any way Anna could have known she touched the sand. The sole of her club knocked off only a couple of grains of some very dry sand. I'm certain she neither saw it or felt it. So from that perspective she is/was honorable. You can't self report if you don't know you did something. OTOH at least this was a legitimate violation unlike DJ's phantom violation. However it is a problem in that there aren't cameras on every shot like that. I do remember thinking when seeing Anna's bunker shot live that she was awfully close to the sand. I do agree w/Azinger that its a mistake to not have informed Anna prior to hitting her 3rd into the 18th during the playoff yet telling Brittany before hitting her 3rd. That created an inequitable playing situation.
Agree totally. It's the inconsistency that bothers me. They can't spy all the player's shots. And, again, they handled it badly with the way they informed the players.
"They can't spy all the player's shots."
That's why I don't think they should be able to call these "video penalties", the rules are not being applied evenly if every shot from every player is not scrutinized. If she did not see or feel that grain of sand move (I really doubt if anyone would), it should not be a penalty.
I agree, so if a player is not in contention they don't have the camera scrutiny a contender has, very biased.
I agree, Ack. I just wish they'd unhook the phones at these host clubs Thursday morning and plug 'em back in Monday morning. It isn't equitable imo. If it takes a high-def zoomed lens that's magnified 1000x to detect an infraction, then stop zooming in on the ball and let the players determine if something inequitable took place with the naked eye.
Otherwise set up these cameras on every hole so they can monitor every player, and have rules officials in the rules trailer tasked to watch every swing.
The USGA has never looked more incompetent and irrelevant imo.
Same as in DJ's incident, the call to the USGA, about a possible infraction, came from the Fox commentators!! A cameraman spied it and reported to them. Good going again, Paul!!!
I was more bothered by the USGA again inserting themselves into a championship by issuing a time warning to the last group. They were out of position because of Lydia's lost ball situation. Once put on the clock, all three were two over for the next three holes and were running between shots. There was no one behind them and they were not out of position because of a delay that was within the Rules. They continually stick there bow ties into where they do not belong.
Diana Murphy obviously has issues with public speaking... and if she plans on staying on there for any length of time, she needs to fix that. Or else have someone else do the ceremonial presentation afterward, which is a much better idea than having her make the USGA look even more incompetent than they already are.
And although I think the women play much too slowly, I also agree with Dr. Bill. The USGA didn't need to get involved with that in that particular situation, especially as it pertains to being the last group in the final round of a major. They just seem to demand being the center of attention.
I agree that it should apply to everyone...even though the camera just being on the ones in contention. BUT, I can honestly say that every time I have been in the trap I could either 'feel' the sand or see the sand move...EVERY TIME! If a Tour Pro that especially depends on 'feel' and cannot feel the sand or see the sand move...I say B.S.!
I understand what you're getting at. In this particular instance, I'm not sure there was enough sand being contacted by the club (the replay showed maybe 1-2 grains of fluffed-up sand being contacted) that would've been detected by the player. I'm inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt when she says she didn't know.
That said, as an amateur who actively competes in tournaments throughout the course of a season, I'm personally aware of that type of situation. I take extra precaution when I'm in a hazard of any sort by giving myself an additional 3-4 inches of leeway, just to make sure I'm nowhere near grounding my club. When I'm practicing my putting stroke aside of the ball - I make sure I'm far enough away to not inadvertently make contact with it. When I'm grounding my putter behind the ball and taking my stance - I make sure to give myself 3-4 inches of room between the ball and the putter face, just so I better ensure that I don't inadvertently touch the ball or cause it to move.
I'm not competing for majors and millions of dollars. I'm competing for pride and a chance to win maybe a hundred bucks of pro-shop credit. Yet I still exercise a little awareness in those situations.
Nordqvist was just careless in that situation, and although the penalty seems extremely harsh for something that seemed so trivial - she understood the rules and agreed to play by them. And kudos to her for accepting responsibility and taking it on the chin. There've been a few instances in the past when this has happened (Wie) and it wasn't accepted nearly as well, if memory serves anyway.
This just in: Drunky McDrunkerson apologizes for name flap: http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/usga-president-apologizes-name-mix