Golf Rules Simplification Effort Still Very Much Ongoing...

With Monday's kinder, gentler rules of golf tweaks (not including the anchoring ban), the USGA and R&A not only fixed a few common sense situations, but it turns out were signaling where they are headed with the rules.

For those skeptical that the same people who have been studying the golf ball since 2003 might not be serious about efforts to simplify the rules, think again, says Rex Hoggard.

From Hoggard's look at the new rules and Monday's announcement.

While Monday’s changes fall well short of a “Golf for Dummies” rule book and the prohibition on anchoring that also begins on Jan. 1 is sure to produce additional confusion – for the record, both hovering and inadvertent brushing would not be considered anchoring (discuss) – but it is part of a larger narrative that has been ongoing within rule-making circles for some time.

Pagel conceded as much during a conference call announcing the changes. He added that the focus for the R&A and USGA rules committees will now turn to broader simplifications.

“There is a project underway with the R&A to see if there is a way to simplify the rules. Are there wholesale ways to help simplify it?” Pagel said.