That was “Dave Hillesque”. If you ever wanted to see a player work golf rules officials, Dave Hill might have been the King. He was a helluva golfer to.
One year I attended a PGA rules seminar in Colorado and many of the speakers included PGA rules guys. One official talked about Hill, playing Sunday morning, playing well ( not contending but moving up the money prize list) hit a ball in the fairway. However, the mower mowing around a irrigation head, missed a spot and Hill’s ball was in unmoved, wet grass. Hill wanted a drop and it was denied. Then Hill, in front of the official, took his club, turned it over and addressed the bal left-handed. Doing so, he was standing on the irrigation head. He then claimed interference and asked for a free drop. It was granted. He then addressed the ball right handed...and a playing partner objected. Hill claimed the drop altered the decision on how to play the shot and he decided to play it right handed...and it is the player’s decision on how he/she wants to play their shot. The official agreed with Hill and allowed him to play the shot as he wanted.
Sometimes knowledge of the rules is beneficial. Dave Hill had a bunch of these situations in his career.
