I've Loved The Game Of Golf For 40 Years, But Here Are 5 Things I’d Change About It

I’ve been playing golf since I was tee-pocket high to a stand bag, and almost my entire life has revolved around the game. From hanging around the putting green as a junior, to playing for the (second) team at university, to my eventual career as a golf writer which has to this point, (unexpectedly) lasted 20 years. Holidays with friends are often golfing ones, family get togethers generally happen at the golf club (on and off the course), I watch more golf on TV than all other sports combined, and I can name every winner of The Open Championship since the Second World War… Yeah, I like golf.

But nothing’s perfect, is it? And there are things about golf that I would change or tweak a little. Golf has been constantly evolving since some shepherds on the Scottish east coast started pinging stones about with their crooks. Equipment advances, agronomy advances, the Rules are adapted constantly to suit modern playing requirements, the sport becomes increasingly inclusive, and the game has spread all over the world to be played by people of different cultures and backgrounds.

Obviously, everyone has their own personal relationship with golf and the five things I’d change, which I’m going to talk about here, might not be the things others would alter. But hey, I’m writing this article, so this is what you’re getting! Here are the five things I’d change about golf.

World Handicap System

I’m not a huge fan of the World Handicap System (WHS). I don’t like how difficult it is now for regular and consistent golfers to win club competitions. I don’t like how fluid it is, and I don’t like the fact that the Playing Conditions Calculation PCC (despite some tweaking) still doesn’t come into effect easily enough. I miss the old British system and would happily go back to it. I liked having something extra to play for in competitive rounds – battling to make our old “buffer” zone and doing so was almost as rewarding as posting a brilliant score. I think WHS just needs some tweaking to suit the type of golf we generally play as amateurs in this country, i.e. lots more (weekly) competitive medal play than in the U.S.

The Out of Bounds Rule

I don’t think there should be a penalty shot for going out of bounds. If you stand on a tee and totally miss the ball, you aren’t penalised and are playing two from the same place. If you skelp one that gets a wicked bounce that ends out of bounds by an inch, you’re playing three off the tee. I think you should just have to play again from the same place if you go OB, with no extra penalty shot. I actually think it would make golf more exciting, both amateurs and pros would be more inclined to go for shots with less at stake.

The Emphasis on Putting

I’m not a great putter so it infuriates me how much of your total score comprises of putts. On a 500-yard hole, you could smack a 300-yard drive and play a majestic 5-iron onto the front of the green – 2 shots –, then narrowly miss a putt, narrowly miss another then tap in from an inch – 3 shots. Two shots covered 495 yards and then three covered about 7, that doesn’t seem right. I like the idea of strokes made on the putting surface counting for just 0.5 of a shot each. That would put far greater emphasis on full shots and, particularly, on accurate approaches.

The General Pace of Play

I can’t stand slow play and it has become a real problem in the last few decades. It stems from the pro game – People watch the elite players on TV taking aeons to decide upon and to play every shot. Inevitably people, especially juniors, copy them. Slow play has filtered down from the top to the grassroots of the game. I would have far tighter rules for pro golfers on pace of play and harsher, more frequently applied penalties to players who break those pace of play rules. If the elite players became faster again then so would the rest of the golfing world.

The Wider Public’s Perception of The Sport

I find it frustrating that people who don’t play or watch golf still view our sport as elitist, snobby and stuffy. The game has worked so hard to move with the times and I would like people to realise that golf is now inclusive, welcoming and diverse. Yes, there are elite and expensive clubs. But there are also entry-level facilities, municipal courses and town golf clubs that offer more affordable options. Just as some people drive Bentleys and others Ford Fiestas, there’s something to suit everyone.  The fact the BBC gave up on golf doesn’t help our cause in this country as non-golfers rarely get a chance to see the sport. I would like to change the wider public’s perception of our sport from being one of plus-fours and snotty looks to one of sporty equipment and a hearty welcome.