The U.S. Open is just a couple of weeks away, and conditions at Torrey are brutal. The rough is ankle deep, and your best chance of finding your ball is to step on it. The only real rules issue here is their "Local Rule" allowing a free drop if you can't find your ball in the rough. I've said it before, but that is not a legitimate local rule, and I don't think that it is fair to post a score played using that rule. I managed to not lose a ball until the 18th hole (the only lake on the course).
The only rules issue (besides that) that came up during the round was illegal tees. One guy was using a "brush" tee, which I have heard people say is illegal. Short answer - it's not.
The rules say that the tee can't be longer than 4 inches, can't indicate line of play, and can't unduly influence the movement of the ball or otherwise assist the player. A tethered tee is even legal, as long as the tether is not used to indicate line of play.
I have often commented that tees are the only cheap part of this game. They even give them away at some courses. I suspect that some high-end golf clubs provide Pro V1 golf balls, but I don't play those courses. I have seen them give you a sleeve with rental clubs before.
I found a Polara golf ball on the course. Someone was cheating. If you're not familiar with the Polara ball, it's illegal because it has an asymmetrical dimple pattern designed to reduce side spin. I'm going to try it on a launch monitor if I get a chance to see how much of a difference it really does make.
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