Rick Shiels wants ‘really penal’ golf rule changed with current punishment unfair on amateur golfers

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Golf YouTuber Rick Shiels believes that one rule should change with the current regulation too “penal” on amateur players.

Shiels often discusses the amateur game during his podcast appearances. Just recently, He claimed a new high-loft driver should be released to help high-handicap players gain more consistency off the tee.

Furthermore, Shiels also offered an apology to one amateur, who had contacted him to voice concern over how online coaching had negatively impacted his game.

Clearly, the YouTube sensation cares about casual golfers, and now Shiels believes it’s time to eliminate the three-off-the-tee rule.

Rick Shiels: Out-of-bounds rule should change

Speaking on his latest podcast, Shiels claimed that two off the tee is more than enough punishment for any player who hits a ball out of bounds.

“There was a lot of support I saw recently about how it shouldn’t be three off the tee. Your second shot [should be two]. That’s enough punishment. You are hitting it from the same location, and now it’s your second shot. I think that’s enough punishment. I do feel like out of bounds is really, really penal,” Shiels said.

“I think the only caveat to it. What about if you hit a tee shot and think you might have lost it? And hit another provisional and bomb it. You have no benefit in looking for your first one. I am just going to play this provisional I am not even going to find the first one. That could be a pro because it is going to speed up the game of golf, but it could be a con.”

• READ MORE: Wesley Bryan urges amateurs to try something new on the course which is the ‘single best exercise’ for high-handicaps to improve

Worst out-of-bounds shots on the PGA Tour

Some professionals would also probably want this rule changed. At the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach, John Daly hit his ball into someone’s backyard and the Pacific Ocean as he made 14 on the par-five finishing hole.

Rory McIlroy, during his famous crumble at the 2011 Masters, managed to hook a ball out of bounds on the par-five 13th hole at Augusta National, a shot that ended his hopes of landing a first green jacket.

Daly also hit three tee shots out of play at the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straights, which also provided one of the more comical moments after the outlandish American launched his club into Lake Michigan.

Clearly, it’s not just amateurs who would benefit from Shiels’ latest rule change suggestion.