Patrick Reed once complained about the rule in golf he thinks is unfair and called for change

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Patrick Reed is one of the biggest names in the game and he is still competing at a high level over on LIV Golf.

Reed won his first ever LIV Golf event this year in Dallas, and many believe he actually should have been part of the US Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black.

In fact, many golf fans backed Reed up concerning his comments on the Ryder Cup this year, where he suggested he would have been a real asset for Keegan Bradley’s side.

Reed shared his pain at missing out on the Ryder Cup team, and it’s fair to argue that he would have done a much better job than numerous players on Bradley’s side did.

The 35-year-old is unquestionably a better golfer than a lot of people give him credit for.

Moving on from his exceptional golf game, though, if Reed could change one golf rule, what would it be?

Patrick Reed complained about the rule in golf he thinks is unfair

There are many golf rules that are simply not fit for purpose in the modern game.

Many of those rules badly need to be changed by the USGA in order to make the game better for everyone.

And last year, Reed singled out one golf rule in particular that he wants to see changed moving forward.

When speaking on a YouTube video for LIV Golf in 2024, Reed was asked what golf rule he would change.

It’s a fair comment from Reed and most golfers would surely agree with him.

However, there is a danger that if the rule were to be changed, it would be left far too open to interpretation.

Why the USGA may be opposed to changing the fairway divot rule

Accurate drives should always be rewarded with a good lie in the fairway; that goes without saying.

However, sometimes golfers simply don’t get the rub of the green, and the drive that they nailed down the middle ends up in an old divot.

While it seems very harsh that players are punished after hitting well-executed shots, the reason why the USGA haven’t changed the rule to allow for a free drop from a divot may well be because it would be too hard to police.

What constitutes a divot and what doesn’t? Would some players be asking for relief from a divot if they simply have a bad lie in a slight depression on the ground?

The rule simply needs to be black and white to prevent that from happening.

And that’s why Reed’s suggestion for the fairway divot rule to be changed will most likely fall on deaf ears over at the USGA.