Is this a step too far?

First off, Congratulations to Arjun Atwal who became the first Indian to win on the PGA Tour.

I didn't see it myself but I came across this on another website this morning:

"He even had the courage to blast his approach to the last in the hope of hitting the spectators' tent that was positioned behind the green in order to get a favourable drop shot.

His plan worked perfectly. The ball hit the base of the tent, Atwal was awarded a drop and he made no mistake with his up-and-down, holing a seven-footer to earn the $918,000 (£591,000) top prize and a two-year Tour exemption." 

 What does everyone think? Good thinking? Against the rules of the game????

I don't think for one moment that he did that on purpose, after all he was trying to win the tournament so would rather have been on the green and would have played for the green.

My opinion is that he had an adrenaline rush and that is what caused him to go through the green, and he was fortunate that the dropping zone was in a favourable position. He still had to hole a seven footer, which is not guaranteed.

watched it on sky and he deff played for the drop all credit to him for using the rules to his advantage

If he deliverately played to hit the spectator tent then that is not golf.

Didn't see the incident myself so I cannot say if he meant it or not.

Russ

if it's not illegal, then it's legal, well done

I think Tiger did it once at Dubia.

2nd shot to the last over water,he took plenty off club hit into the stand so he could

get a drop from drop zone .nobody complained then.

sanders, a rule is a rule, it's there to cover a certain situation, in this case if you are against the tent, he was and got the correct relief

so if he said it was his intention to play it that way what then, would he have to play the ball whilst it rests against a tent?

hey sanders, can't argue that it may be ungentlemanly (sp) conduct, but like you say how to determin that is altogether different, if they feel they need a little help to win then they'll have to live with it.

Most good Golfers play the game with slight negative thoughts.

"Which side is the best to miss on?"

If short is in Water, right and left is deep rough and sand but over the back is a Stand and a Drop Zone 10ft off the Putting Surface, any Golfer will Err on being big. It doesn't mean they will aim at the Stand but that is their 'Get Out' area.

Some people think that playing the 18th hole at an Open Championship is one of the hardest things to play.

NO it isn't.

Apart from places like Troon and St Andrews where over the Green is Out of Bounds, you just aim it down the funnel between the Stands. If you miss and end up in, over or under them it is a drop about 20ft off the Green. Really takes the pressure off that second shot.

TheLyth

I watched this in real time & it was his caddie that suggested playing for the back of the green as the tent was there & they knew they would get a free drop. The commentators which included Faldo & Butch Harmon said it was great thinking under pressure & showed creative thinking. Most rules in golf are devised to help & we see it week in week out where pro's use them to their advantage. This was no different.