Will the USGA Learn Something?

It seems that the USGA might have received the message.  In fact, they are still receiving it.  They have invited feedback on the US Open ruling fiasco and are no doubt getting plenty of it. 

This just might have been good for golf.  It was certainly bad for this particular US Open, but it might result in over-conscientious, anal-retentive rules officials starting to think twice before they intervene in minor rules situations that are better left to the players to deal with.  When championships are possibly won or lost based on "the balance of probability" we are in trouble.  Fortunately DJ was able to stand up to the pressure placed upon him.  Had he actually failed to win another Major because of this fiasco, who knows what the fallout might have been.

What I hope this leads to is a determination to just let the boys play.  Stop the call-ins by armchair rules officials.  Stop the replays concerning silly, ultimately meaningless, questions such as did that ball move, or did it oscillate?  Let the players play golf and protect the field themselves; calling in rules officials when there is an important or particularly difficult ruling.  The rules should be there to ensure fairness; not to produce the kind of drama and nonsense we witnessed last Sunday.

The players deserve it, and so do the fans.