Par4QC
All sports have rules....USGA rules are in place for sanctioned events ONLY. ( and should be used by the small percentage of those who carry a valid h/c)
In a game of road hockey or pick up baseball are all the rules and equipment standards abided by , NO...same for the the vast majority of golf games played. Less than 5% of all golfers carry a handicap through an association. 95% don't give a F about rules or what the USGA says about equipment
otherwise , Association rules are only a recommendation/guideline of how the game should be played and what equipment to use. Neither is requirement for hackers. Some do follow by choice , others make em up as they go along and mix in bastardizations of the rules .....but 99 % of the guys I play with ( outside competitions) play by their own rules.....most don't even know how to apply the rules properly.....16 clubs , who cares, illegal ball , tee, square grooves, who cares.
as above, the last major rule change for equipment was the square groove rule, not one person has come forward to say said that rule change impacted them negatively...( forced them to go buy different clubs etc) a change to a "tour only" ball will have the same effect on everyone here...that being ZERO