General / Craig Dutton / 28 August 2007 /

Ridiculous rulebook must be shortened for the game to progress, says Criag Dutton

The ridiculous controversy that shrouded the success of Ross Fisher during this weekend's KLM Open is just a glimpse into the silliness of holding onto ancient folklore and overplaying tradition in sport.

A birdie putt at the final hole sealed victory for Fisher, who thought he had bagged his first Tour win. That was, until the officials spoke to Fisher about "an infringement of the rules". Now that sounds such an authoritative statement. Infringement is such a dirty word; it just makes you want to spit with disgust.

So what was the heinous crime Fisher had committed? Allegedly, at the 12th hole, he had moved a plant blocking his shot and not replaced it. He had MOVED A BIT OF GRASS and was facing disqualification! What kind of madness is this?! Never has the word "infringement" been so stupidly used. In Stalinist Russia moving some foliage wouldn't be considered an infringement of the rules, yet in 2007, at the KLM Open, it is.

In the sporting world, golf is one of the worst offenders with regards to clutching onto the past. "Decisions on the rules of Golf" is recognised as the official lawbook, and its 600 pages seems to grow with every passing year. How hard it can be to officiate hitting a ball into a cup is anyone's guess, but the desire to hang nostalgic and antiquated procedures onto a very simple game slows the whole process to a standstill. As bettors, it is a horrible circumstance that must further permeate our betting ideas. How hard it is to find a winner of a 200-strong field, we now have to live with the fact that he might get disqualified because he moved some grass.

This is a sport that allows players to score themselves before examining every scorecard to see if they are correct, and then penalise players who've got it wrong! Why make them do it in the first place then?! If Phil Taylor scored 164, then had to move over to the scoreboard, subtract his score from 501, announce the score in the microphone, we would laugh heartily.

Golf is by no means the only sport with red-faces. The recent controversy with Rob Styles dubious penalty decision at Anfield has once again placed the spotlight on football's governing bodies, whose resistance to anything devised within the last 25 years can only be a hindrance to them. It doesn't matter if it takes an extra minute or so to clear up, it doesn't matter if referees become a little neutralised. Technology can make correct, clear-cut decisions humans cannot. It's as simple as that. Football, golf, all sports need to embrace technology - it is not their enemy.

If fiercely nostalgic people are in charge of the sport of golf, then they need to be dislodged and replaced, because reams of dirge do not an attractive sport make. Stupid rules may be great nods to historians and players past, but it could have severe repercussions on golfers. From our point of view, it is an unnecessary hurdle a punter should not have to jump. In California, animals are banned from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school, or place of worship. That isn't even a joke. If common sense doesn't prevail, sporting rules will.

Craig@craigdutton.orangehome.co.uk

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