Fore please: The 2021 Masters thread

Once again you racist golf fans are ganging up on the winningest African in the sport's history.

 

Well played, though as one of the few white South Africans allowed to compete in international sport throughout apartheid, I am rather surprised (or perhaps unsurprised) how Player's statements on the topic have not banished him from polite company, even if he later appears to have recanted most of them.

 

It’s improving his lie. Sand/soil is only a loose impediment on the green.

Most people with strong rules knowledge see this as a breach.

In addition to the Watson incident, there was a suspicious lost and then found ball in an Open one year.

 

Fair enough. As you could probably tell, with my skills no tournament would have me.

 

The Rules have changed some since this happened. There is no issue now with grounding your club in a penalty area. The only place you can't ground your club prior to a shot is in a bunker. As for moving loose impediments, that's allowed everywhere now. But it has to be loose. You can't pull a stray tree root out of the ground. You can't bend a branch to improve the conditions affecting the stroke. But leaves, rocks, etc., etc., get them out of your way if need be. Just don't move your ball in the process.

 

They do. One of the great moments in this regard was when Arnold first served as the honorary starter the same year Player started, missed the cut with about an 81-79, and broke Arnie's Masters starts record. When asked in the news conference about Player saying he was so proud of breaking Palmer's record, Palmer replied "I don't give a shit what Gary thinks."

 

I had missed this. Perhaps you did too.