Even though all golfers are currently engrossed in “The Open” (a.k.a. the British Open), it’s time to look forward to “Our Open” (a.k.a. the RBC Canadian Open).

There are many reasons to come to Our Open, first played in 1904 and the third-oldest continuously running tournament on the PGA TOUR after The Open and the U.S. Open.

Although the tournament proper doesn’t begin until Thursday, there’s lots going on beforehand.

On Saturday, July 22, the RBC Canadian Open 5K run takes place at 9 a.m. starting near the first tee of Glen Abbey Golf Club and finishing alongside the 18^th green.

On Monday, there’s the Canada Day Pro-Am where teams of three amateurs will be joined by one of our country’s top golfers or a Hall of Fame player. This year, among other notables, Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor, Graham DeLaet, Alena Sharp, David Hearn, Brad Fritsch, and Jared du Toit are scheduled to participate. It’s a celebration of Canadian golf and, suitably, proceeds from the event will go to the Golf Canada Foundation to support the developmental pathway for young golfers in this country.

On Tuesday, the official opening ceremony takes place at 10 a.m. on the stage at the Coors Light 19^th Hole Beer Garden where Judy Darling Evans and Bob Vokey will be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. Admission is free. Tuesday is practice day for the pros, too, so it’s a great chance to see some of the world’s best players in a relaxed atmosphere.

Things tighten up just a bit on Wednesday, when the Championship Pro-Am pairs three amateurs with a top pro. Although the pros are no doubt thinking ahead to the opening round of the championship the next day, the banter and camaraderie of this event make it almost as fun to watch as to play in.

Come Thursday, it’s on.

Once again, this year’s field is impressive. (Players have until 5 p.m. ET Friday, July 21, to confirm their participation.) World No. 1 Dustin Johnson heads a contingent heading over from that other Open, including Ernie Els, Matt Kuchar and Canadian Adam Hadwin. Other early confirmed stars include two-time RBC Canadian Open champ Jim Furyk, former U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell, and Ryan Palmer.

Way back in 1954, Pat Fletcher was the last Canadian to win Our Open. Oh, we’ve been close since. In 2004, Mike Weir lost a playoff to Vijay Singh. In 2015, David Hearn had a two-shot heading into the final round before being defeated by a charging Jason Day. Last year, Jared du Toit, then still an amateur, finished tied for ninth. Friday at this year’s Open is Red and White Day where spectators have the chance to cheer on our homegrown heroes by wearing red-and-white apparel.

Parking is free as are the complimentary shuttle buses to and from the course. The new GO to the RBC Canadian Open ticket includes a one-day pass Friday to Sunday and a round-trip GO transit fare to the Oakville or Bronte GO station.

I wish I could say that during this, Canada’s 150th birthday year, I could come up with 150 reasons for everyone to attend Our Open. But this is a start. And if you do, I’m sure you will come with close to that number to come back year after year.

I’ll admit this is a tad presumptuous, but when Brooke Henderson publishes her autobiography, she might well title it, “Faith, Family, Friends and Fairways.” (I love alliteration.)

For proof, you need look no farther than her tweet after winning her fourth LPGA title, the Meijer LPGA Classic on Father’s Day, a couple of weeks back.

“Thanks to my Dad and to God our father for this amazing day!!”

Thanks to my Dad and to God our Father for this amazing day!!Happy Father’s Day!! ☺️☝?️

— Brooke Henderson (@BrookeHenderson) June 19, 2017

At 19 and in only her second full year on tour, Henderson will try to defend her title this week at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Olympia Fields Country Club near Chicago.

When she won the 2016 PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club in Washington, she became the first Canadian woman to win a major since Sandra Post did so in 1968. When she won the Meijer, she tied Lorie Kane’s record of four LPGA victories.

The three are tied together in other ways. They are all sweetness and light on the outside but that masks a fierce competitive nature. Raised in small towns (Post in Oakville, Ont., Kane in Charlottetown, P.E.I., and Henderson in Smiths Falls, Ont.), all three were introduced to golf by their fathers.

And it would be remiss not to mention Jocelyn Bourassa of Shawinigan, Que., who was the LPGA rookie of the year in 1972. The following year, she won our country’s national women’s Open championship, then called La Canadienne and now the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

Among the legacies that Henderson is inheriting, Bourassa’s may mean the most in this, Canada’s 150^th birthday year, for Bourassa was the last Canadian to win our women’s Open. There will be additional pressure as the tournament takes place Aug. 21-27 at what Henderson now calls her home club, the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

But pressure is something the self-confident Henderson is used to. Rather than flinch, she embraces it.

In a recent conference call, she said she was “really excited for the opportunity” to defend her PGA title and enthused about the support she is receiving.

Along with a focus on her professional goals, she is cognizant of the impact she is having on the game, especially in Canada. Her success, like that of Bourassa, Post and Kane, is inspiring.

“Of course I have personal goals but the impact on the game is really huge for me. I have people of all ages coming up to me asking for a photo with me or an autograph. I really hope I can do so much good for golf.”

Henderson is blessed to have her sister Brittany, also an accomplished golfer, as her caddie. Her mother and her father, who is her coach, travel with them frequently. (It should be noted that Henderson, as a member of Team Canada, learned much under the tutelage of national women’s team coach Tristan Mullally.)

“I am extremely grateful for my family’s support. My sister as my caddie, my dad as coach, and my mom as my No. 1 fan and cheerleader. None of this would have been possible without all the sacrifices from all of them.

“I believe everyone is given a special gift and I hope I can make the most of mine.”

Doubtful that anyone who cares about golf in Canada doesn’t believe that Brooke Henderson isn’t a special gift herself.

Father’s Day presents some interesting scenarios for me, a man who lost his father far too soon. Eventually, that void was filled in many ways by the man who became my father-in-law. I was in my mid-30s before my wife and I had the first of our three children. Not too long after, I was covering U.S. Opens, where the final round always falls on Father’s Day.

The common thread is golf and family, with the notable exception that my father never played the game and I didn’t take it up until my early 30s. But bear with me. The reason I started to play was that my in-laws, both golfers, gave my wife and I clubs. That started my addiction, one that led to me getting into golf writing. It changed the course of my life.

As much as I have been blessed to have a career in golf, the sport has meant more, much more, in a family sense.

My in-laws, my wife and I played many rounds together, followed by drinks and dinner. When the grandchildren reached the appropriate age, we organized the “Super Gramps Invitational” every summer. The extended family played nine holes and returned to the cottage for a bonfire and barbecue. Quips and barbs, but no prizes, were exchanged. No prizes, that is, except the permanent trophy which was always awarded, no matter what his score, to “Super Gramps.”

Our son now is 30, about the same age I was when I took up the game. He’s been playing, off and on, for most of his life. He was the first grandchild to play in the Super Gramps Invitational. One of my dearest memories is of three generations—he, his grandfather and me—playing together. He is passionate about golf, almost as much as he is about his wife, who also enjoys the game. They golf a lot together.

Our younger daughter and her fiancé both worked at a golf club for a couple of summers and golf whenever the opportunity presents itself.

My wife and I have played with them all, separately and together, to reconnect, to catch up on their busy lives. We all treasure the experience.

A month ago, our older daughter presented us with our first grandchild. As a memento, I gave him a copy of my Kids Book of Golf. Part of the inscription went something like this: “Dearest Carson, I hope we get golf together and, when I am gone, you think of me whenever you play the game.”

There is a reason golf is called “the game for a lifetime.” And, hopefully, beyond, in a legacy sense.

Golf has had a profound impact on not just my career, but on my family.

While it may not be a central theme to your life, trust me when I tell you that golf forms a bond that ties together a family as nothing else, let alone a sport, can.

I look forward to being the centrepiece of the “Patriarch Pro-Am” or the “Senator Scramble” some day. An event where everyone wins. But only I am guaranteed the trophy.

Perhaps we will schedule it for Father’s Day.

You’ve heard the boilerplate reasons to maintain an accurate handicap factor.

“Level playing field.” “Track your progress.”

Blah, blah, blah.

Here’s the real reason.

Don’t be a cheater. Be a real golfer. An honest golfer.

Oh, I am sure your intentions are good. You stand on the first tee and when asked what your handicap factor is, you say, “Well, I usually shoot about xx.” Then you go and shoot xx minus 10.

There’s no polite way to say this. You cheated. And you are no doubt a little embarrassed. As an unintentional result, there will be whispers of “sandbagger” when your name is mentioned subsequently.

I have no doubt your intentions were honourable and so are you. But because you didn’t have a verifiable factor, you cheated your fellow competitors (who hopefully had a Golf Canada handicap factor) of the opportunity to compete equitably.

If anyone has a passion for this topic, it’s Craig Loughry, Golf Canada’s Director of Handicap and Course Rating. Only he would call the handicapping system “cool.”

“The obvious cool part of handicaps is allowing golfers of any ability to have either a fun, friendly match with a friend or relative or a serious competition with anyone. Look at the alternative. Otherwise, the higher-handicapped player would be slaughtered in a gross stroke-play event or worse, they enter into a heated negotiation on the first tee as to how many strokes each should get.”

Loughry points out that the Golf Canada handicap system provides for golfers who play from different tees in the same event to compete on an equitable basis.

And there are many other advantages to maintaining an accurate and official Golf Canada handicap factor over other informal and unapproved score tracking systems, including being able to observe your progress (or lack thereof) over the course of years.

Consider yourself a “real golfer”?

You’re not if you don’t maintain an accurate Golf Canada handicap factor.

And if we meet on the first tee, you’re not getting any strokes from me.

This Sunday, May 28, is Get Out and Golf Day in Canada, in support of the ParticipACTION 150 Playlist, where Canadians are being asked to participate in 150 activities through the year to celebrate our country’s 150^th birthday. There will be a number of fun golf activities taking place at facilities across the country. (A list can be found here)

But even if there isn’t an organized event in your area, get out and show support for the game—and the nation!—we love.

As if you need more justification for playing golf, or maybe to persuade some non-golfing friends to join you, here are some reasons to celebrate Get Out and Golf Day this Sunday.

In fact, you can argue that the game reflects many of the values that are distinctly Canadian.

Golf is inclusive. The game does not discriminate by race, colour, religion, gender, age, physical size or ability. Heck, even golf balls are all different colours.

Golf is democratic. We take pride in our democratic model of government. Golf is the most democratic of sports, thanks to the handicap system. In no other sport can players of differing skill levels compete on an equal basis.

Golf is honest. It’s been said that golf doesn’t build character, it reveals it. In most cases, there are no referees or officials present when you play. You break a rule, you call the penalty on yourself. That takes courage and integrity, more Canadian traits.

Golf has rules. In daily life, the rule of law is important to Canadians. Order is something we respect. Similarly, the rules of golf impress upon players the importance of equity, fairness, etiquette, safety, consideration of others and more.

Golf is tough. Canadians aren’t afraid of work. Unless you win the lottery, nothing good happens without effort. It’s the same for golf. If you want to improve, you have to put the time in.

Golf is fun. If you don’t believe me, look at the facts. Our country has the highest per-capita participation rate in golf worldwide. We’re not a nation of masochists, so the only explanation for this phenomenon is that the game must be fun.

Golf is solitary. Whether you’re playing alone or with others, golf offers the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Canadian nature as well as to get away from the pressures we all experience in our daily lives. The benefits of this “mindfulness” have been compared to a form of meditation.

Golf is social. Canadians like to party. From Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia, golf clubhouses may reflect regional cuisines, music and other attributes, but they all share one thing—Canadian camaraderie and good humour.

Golf is family. The fabric of family is vital to Canadians and golf strengthens that fabric. It’s not unusual to see three and, sometimes, four generations playing together. It’s called “the game for a lifetime” for a reason.

Just a few off the top of my head. I’ll be playing on Get Out and Golf Day this Sunday. Will you?

Editor’s Note: Get Out and Golf Day is in support of the ParticipACTION 150 Playlist, where Canadians are being asked to participate in 150 activities throughout 2017 to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday. Visit participaction.com/150 for more details about the ParticipACTION 150 Play List. Get Out and Golf Day is proudly supported by golf industry partners including the National Golf Course Owners Association of Canada (NGCOA), PGA of Canada, Canadian Society of Club Managers, Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and Golf Canada in addition to Canada’s 10 provincial golf associations.

If you’re looking to be more grounded in life, golf is the answer.

Literally and figuratively.

Just ask Dr. Joe Parent, founder of Zen Golf (www.zengolf.com).

“You should use golf as a form of meditation. When you stand on the tee, breath down through your body, through your feet and into the ground. Feel connected through the earth, through space and then to your target.”

If you’re a cynical old so-and-so like me, that Zen stuff doesn’t adhere all that much. But when Parent starts talking about slot machines, well, here we go.

He talks about “random intermittent reinforcement” where every so often, after you’ve poured a bunch of quarters into the one-armed bandit, the light goes off and “ding, ding, ding,” you’re a winner. And, like that one great shot during your otherwise unremarkable round of golf, that keeps you coming back.

Parent says that golf is “90 per cent mental and 10 per cent mental because your mind runs every swing you take.” (It must be a Zen thing.)

And while the physical benefits of the game are well documented, golf can clear your mind, give you increased self-awareness and improve your mental and psychological well-being.

“If you’re mindful, simply being outside, participating in an activity that you enjoy, you breathe more deeply and your thoughts slow down, all of which has a calming effect. It’s not dissimilar to the benefits of mindfulness meditation where practitioners focus on their breath,” says Tim O’Connor, mental performance coach at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. (www.oconnorgolf.ca)

Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood (www.drtoogood.com) is Team Canada’s sports psychologist. While her focus in that role is on elite athletes, she recognizes the mental health benefits of golf for everyone. But the onus is on the golfer to do the same.

“You have to accept what you can control and what you can’t. You’re striving to get better, but you must accept the present reality. Once you do that, there’s a great opportunity for growth and you can then translate that realization into other areas of your life, whether it’s family, business or something else. It’s self-realization.”

And rather than castigate yourself for a bad shot, Leslie-Toogood says take the opportunity during every round to implement the “self-compassion theory.” It’s kind of the converse of the Golden Rule in that you should treat yourself the way you would ideally treat others.

“If you make a mistake, forgive yourself. Have realistic expectations. Take the opportunity to learn something about yourself and to grow. That takes courage.”

Too much has been made of the frustrations associated with golf. The frustrations are on you.

And so are the gratifications.

The choice is yours.

As the late great golfer Walter Hagen said: “You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”

Editor’s note: If you’re looking for a fun golf experience that is forgiving of the occasional bad shot, create your “Ultimate Scorecard” – one of the many features available to Golf Canada members. Allowing you to track your play at a course over a season, or even a lifetime, your Ultimate Scorecard only gets better – guaranteed! 

Get yours now for free!

Hey, kids. Don’t let your parents read this. Let’s keep this our secret, OK?

Yeah, I’m a parent with three grown kids but, more importantly, I am a grandfather and we all know that grandparents are the best. Right?

So here’s my advice: Tell your parents you want to go to golf camp this summer.

But do it reluctantly, like it’s their idea. Parents like to think they are in charge. Just humour them and try not to doze off when they’re rambling on.

But be prepared for the usual parent stuff.

Even if they don’t golf, they’re going to natter on about how golf will make you a better person and, perhaps, a better student at school. (Yawn.)

They’ll lecture you about how most golf camps embrace the Future Links concept that not only makes you a better golfer but educates you in some valuable life skills: two core life skills (focus and sportspersonship) and six associated skills (perseverance, goal setting, emotional regulation, honesty, teamwork and respect).

But who wants to think about school right now? You’re more interested in enjoying the summer and a week or two at golf camp is the way to go. You might even persuade your folks to get you a junior membership at a local course. It’s a great way to enjoy the summer out of doors with your friends. But let them think that was their idea.

“All our kids leave with a big smile on their faces,” says Jake Patte of Geared To Golf. His innovative programs attract kids who are new to golf as well as those who want to get better. He even invites parents to come on the last day of camp for a barbecue and a scramble with the kids.

At my course, Midland Golf and Country Club in Ontario, some camps are paired with other activities, like hockey, robotics, rocketry, fishing, and mountain biking.

Most courses can provide you with clubs, so you don’t need to bring your own. Similarly, even if you don’t go to a camp with your friends, you are sure to meet new ones there. Guaranteed.

Just about every summer golf camp is organized by a PGA of Canada professional who has a background in instruction and understands the Future Links concept. That ensures you will not only learn about the game but have a great time.

If you’ve never golfed before, you’re in good company. Whether you’re five years old or 15, it doesn’t matter. Camps are designed to make you feel welcome and to have fun. Some courses even have specific weeks just for beginners as well as girls-only sessions.

So go to golf camp this summer. If you do, you’ll not only enjoy the game for the rest of your life, but get to play with your parents and, most importantly, your grandparents. You’ll make memories that will last you a lifetime.

Maybe it’s time you schooled your parents about going to golf camp this summer!

Check out Golf Canada’s junior camps and clinics, to to find one that’s right for you.

If you’re a Tiger Woods fan, you will not be disappointed when The 1997 Masters: My Story (256 pages, Grand Central Publishing) is released on Monday, March 20. Actually, you don’t need to keep reading this. Just buy the book.

But if you’re more a fan of the fine and literate writing we have been accustomed to during the long and highly respected career of Tiger’s collaborator on the book, Lorne Rubenstein, well, you might want to read on.

I’ve known Rubenstein, an honoured member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, for more than 30 years. So when he tells me, “I’m not doing any interviews for the book. It’s Tiger’s book, not mine,” he means it. Even the note from the publisher accompanying my review copy did not mention Rubenstein’s name.

Disappointing, to be sure, as Rubenstein was the ideal choice to lift, clean and place all the interviews with Tiger and other historical information into what is unquestionably an interesting read.

More of that process can be gleaned by a publicity piece Rubenstein wrote for the publisher, citing the time they spent together in Tiger’s office as well as the many phone calls.

“I was provided the opportunity to dig deep into the mind of a golfer who had accomplished amazing things in the game,” says Rubenstein, who was at that 1997 Masters.

“Tiger’s recollections went from one story to another, and from one period in his career to another. We were having a conversation as much as I was conducting an interview. This led to many time shifts in the book. Tiger reflected on other majors he won, and as he considered matters both on and off the course: his workout regime, the equipment he used, and changes in equipment over the years, his childhood and relationship with his parents, incidents of racism that he had encountered, his views on where he is now in his game and life off the course.”

As the title states, the book is a blow-by-blow account of the 1997 Masters where Tiger, just 21 years old, won by an astounding 12 shots. Guided by video of that historic victory, Tiger walks the reader through not only every shot, but also the mental and psychological machinations that produced an astounding rebound from that 40 on his opening nine holes.

It also gives, as Rubenstein states above, guarded glimpses into his early life, amateur career, and his off-course existence which, as we all know, had more than its share of notoriety. Architectural buffs will enjoy his opinionated evaluation of the changes to Augusta National since he won there for the first time.

It is written in the first-person and represents as close as any of us, except Rubenstein, will have to a conversation with one of the game’s most fascinating and talented and, simultaneously, infuriatingly private individuals.

So, in hindsight, you have to respect Rubenstein, the author of 13 previous books, for his editorial laryngitis. Now you can go buy the book.

Follow @gordongolf

“Long” has been a millstone around golf’s neck, suffocating the growth of the game.

Rounds take too long. And courses are too long.

But the Longleaf Tee System might change all that.

Several years ago, U.S. Kids Golf founder Dan Van Horn started “scaling” the length of courses that hosted his tournaments to make them playable for all participants, no matter what their ability or skill level.

When his U.S. Kids Golf Foundation purchased Longleaf golf course near Pinehurst, N.C., in 2015, he, with the assistance of Bridgestone Golf, synthesized the related data he had accumulated over the years and hired architect Bill Bergin to create the first totally scalable golf course with seven sets of tees ranging from 3,200 to 6,600 yards. Van Horn calls Longleaf “a living laboratory for growing kids and family golf.”

Now a joint initiative of U.S. Kids Golf Foundation and the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the Longleaf Tee System “is designed to help every player enjoy the game and help every course provide for their customers,” says Van Horn.

“Appropriate tees will mean better scores, a faster pace of play and more golfers eager to return and play more. There is no gender or age restriction. It is the opportunity for excellence for every player.”

For example, Van Horn’s data indicated that the female bogey golfer should be playing a course of about 3,800 yards, a distance that is practically non-existent at the vast majority of courses.

A fundamental element of the Longleaf Tee System is the unique range setup. Beginning at 100 yards, there are colour-coded posts, with numbers corresponding to each of the tee decks. Players hit a few drives before their round and then match their average carry distance to the most closely associated numbered pole. That is the recommended tee deck for them. The gender-neutral tee decks are rated by the USGA for both men and women.

Bergin has integrated the concept into the master plans of three of his upcoming projects. Fellow ASGCA member Ian Andrew from Brantford, Ont., supports the concept as well. He cites the experience of his young son playing for the first time from tees where he could reach greens in regulation.

“That completely changed his view of the game and I’ve used that example to encourage all the clubs I work with [to build a series of shorter tees] ever since. You build forward tees for people who would play more if they were less intimated.”

Toronto-based course architect Jeff Mingay says the Longleaf Tee System is “an admirable, well-intentioned idea, particularly as it relates to introducing kids and other newcomers to golf on a manageable, fun course.

“Ironically, though, I get resistance to shortening courses, particularly from women who react as if I’m trying to delegitimize the course by making it easier.”

Bergin has a counter argument.

“Par for most women at most golf courses is really around 90. Their enjoyment level is lessened because they have to hit too many of what I call ‘irrelevant’ golf shots between the two shots that really matter: the tee shot and the approach shot. With the Longleaf system, they can select the correct tee based on how far they hit their driver, score better, have more fun, play faster and now every shot is relevant.”

The Longleaf concept is universal and applicable to just about any course, new or existing. Forward tee decks don’t necessarily need to be formally constructed. Keeping in mind shot values, forced carries and other design considerations, the new tees could simply be leveled and cut to fairway height.

It enhances the Tee It Forward initiative, which encourages golfers to play a course commensurate with their ability, by providing actual teeing grounds at appropriate distances.

As Bergin says, the Longleaf Tee System represents the first real attempt to grow the game “by adapting the course to the player, rather than forcing the player to adapt to the course. I think it is the answer for everyone—beginners, kids, seniors, men, women. There’s the right course for every golfer.”

Follow @gordongolf

Although the logos of the USGA and the R&A dominate the wave of communications accompanying last week’s announcement of the proposed modernized Rules of Golf, picture a tiny maple leaf-shaped asterisk there as well.

Since 1952, when the separate Rules committees of the USGA and R&A came together to develop a single set of Rules, there has been a Canadian delegate on the Joint Rules Committee (JRC). This makes us unique in the world of golf as the USGA oversees the United States and Mexico and the R&A governs play in the rest of the world, with the exception of Canada.

For the past four years, that representative has been Dale Jackson of Victoria, B.C., in his capacity as Golf Canada’s Chair of Rules and Amateur Status. Although Jackson stepped down from his Golf Canada role at last month’s Golf Canada annual general meeting, he will continue to participate on the JRC for at least another year in the interest of continuity.

Jackson’s timing allowed him to be a part of golf history, witnessing the best Rules minds in the world blowing up the existing Rules and reformulating a new code consisting of just 24 Rules rather than the current 34. The last major shake-up of the Rules came in 1984; before that, there were significant revisions in 1899, 1934 and 1952.

But literally none of the previous episodes had torn the existing Rules apart like this one, which began in 2012 with what Jackson calls the “Rules Modernization Project Team” comprised of volunteers and staff from the USGA and R&A, plus representatives from the PGA Tour and European Tour. And Jackson, of course.

“The objective was to take every single line in the Rule book, every Rule, every note, every exception, and say, ‘How can we do this better? What makes more sense? What are the alternatives? What is the history behind this? Why does this exist?’”

In some cases, says Jackson, it was a case of “back to the future” in that the modernization project team found a former Rule was preferable to its modern version. Jackson points to the proposed Rule allowing the flagstick to remain in the hole while players are putting as a prime example. Until 50 years or so ago, that was permissible, but under the current Rule, if a player on the putting green putts the ball and it hits the flagstick while in the hole, he incurs a two-stroke penalty.

Jackson marvels not only at the incredible amount of time and energy poured into the project by all concerned, but the dedication and single-mindedness of everyone involved, no matter what organization they represented.

“Everyone on the team was pulling in the same direction,” Jackson says, “with the same goal: Make the Rules better, simpler, easier to understand, easier to apply on the golf course.”

While he says the proposed new Rules address most of the challenges faced by the modernization project team, one major bugaboo remains: the stroke-and-distance situation.

“Everyone, especially at the recreational level, realizes that hitting the ball out of bounds off the tee or hitting it out of bounds from the fairway and having to go back to play another stroke, especially on a busy golf course, is really difficult.”

Jackson says the modernization project team spent an inordinate amount of time searching for the answer and continues to do so.

“What we are hoping for is, by putting all this out there for anybody and everybody to review, that somebody comes up with a solution that works.”

Although the current Rules remain in effect until the new version becomes official on Jan. 1, 2019, golfers are encouraged to review them, play by them and provide comments and reaction back to the USGA and R&A by Aug. 31.

For details on the proposed changes in the Rules and to voice your opinion, visit www.usga.org or www.randa.org.