One Rule Change (Almost) All Agree On: The Caddie Lineup

While I'm still reading through many of the new Rules of Golf language and many responses, I'm certain nearly everyone is ecstatic to see the new rule preventing caddies from lining up players.

Not only was it inconsistent with rules attempting to unify the professional and amateur game, but also contradicted efforts to speed up the game.

Caddies lining up players also undermined respect for LPGA Tour players, who were most likely to take advantage of this rules book gap. With that in mind, Randall Mell at GolfChannel.com explores what this means for the LPGA Tour and while most were positive, there was one player not pleased.

Brittany Lincicome, however, didn’t seem pleased.

“I disagree!” Lincicome tweeted. “Lining up players has nothing to do with pace of play. I get 40 [seconds], I should be able to do what I want!”

Lincicome tweeted a pair of angry emojis after her comment.

The story goes on to explore some of the dynamics of why female tour players rely on caddies to line them up. Now that the rule will be changed, this freed up the opinions of Jerry Foltz and Karen Stupples are the most forthright that I've read.

“I think women in general are more likely to delegate stuff to other people,” Stupples said. “I think it’s about reassurance more than anything else. I think that’s just conditioning. When you have someone behind you saying, `You’re good,’ that’s just confirmation.”

That is why the practice had to go.