Golf isn't exactly cheap. $20 to walk 9 or $45 for 18/w cart last time I played and that doesn't include anything from the drink cart or buying a new box of balls cause you suck at it so bad.(a few years back and those were not even the really nice courses) I think people are finding they need that money for other things lately is my guess. I loved to golf but you don't exactly get a lot of bang for your buck. ticky tack stuff is not going to make the game appeal to regular Joes, to be certain. Anything that you do to change the lie of your ball after you put in play off the tee is a penalty except relief form certain obstacles. The rules, stupid or not, are the rules. If you don't like it, don't play by the rules. I doubt most people would mind as long as you follow some etiquette(not walking across a putting line, talking during somebody's back swing, replace your divots, etc.) unless you are playing for money. Heck, golf played by the rules isn't much fun unless you get pretty good at it.