Jon Rahm is not exactly known for keeping his emotions in check on the course, and he would probably be the first to say so.
There is no doubt about his ability though. Rahm has two majors to his name and has won the LIV Golf individual title at the end of both of his seasons. He is widely regarded as one of the best players in the game.
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However, he occasionally expresses his dissatisfaction openly.
Jon Rahm reveals the rule he would like to see changed
Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Golf has no shortage of divisive rules. AimPoint, for example, has sparked calls for a ban, while the decision to roll back the golf ball also splits opinion.
Rahm is not alone in having one that he would like to see updated.
In a video with Good Good, the Legion XIII captain explained how frustrating it can be to find yourself in the middle of the fairway off the tee, only to end up with a poor lie.
The Spaniard explained: “The one that would have been applicable today is the ball in a divot. It’s the definition of ground under repair. Very few sports see you do what you’re supposed to do and get punished.
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“In golf, you can hit the best drive ever, the drive of your life, and you get a bad divot. Some of them are deep especially if it’s a wedge. And you have a 60 yard shot – an easy shot becomes almost impossible.
“The only argument against it is you see all the divots, there’s always going to be imperfections in the fairway that how do you argue if it’s a divot or not? That’s the only thing against it, I get that.”
Scottie Scheffler spoke out against PGA Championship rules in 2023
Rahm has a good point about how it feels to hit the fairway and still end up in an old divot.
Scottie Scheffler would likely back that up, especially considering what happened at last year’s PGA Championship. Early rounds at Quail Hollow, which played soft, saw players getting frustrated over conditions.
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Mud on the ball was an issue throughout, but cleaning was not permitted, and after his opening round, Scheffler did not hold back his opinion on that rule.
“It’s one of those deals where it’s frustrating to hit the ball in the middle of the fairway and get mud on it and have no idea where it’s going to go. I understand it’s part of the game, but there’s nothing more frustrating for a player. You spend your whole life trying to learn how to control a golf ball, and due to a rules decision all of a sudden you have absolutely no control over where that golf ball goes,” he said.
Sometimes golf is just like that – bad breaks come with the territory. It is part of why some players enjoy links courses so much; you have to deal with whatever comes your way.
But even so, plenty will agree with Rahm that finding an old divot after hitting the short grass is not something players should have to deal with.