A weird golf law is changing in Iowa, and it's a good thing
Golf Culture

A weird golf law is changing in Iowa, and it’s a good thing

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Did you know Iowa has a law banning video-game tournaments that don't involve golf? Seriously. The only video-game tournament you can have in the state of Iowa involves Golden Tee.

Well, that's about to change, according to the Quad City Times. The state legislature has proposed bill that would change to Section 99B.11, subsection 2, paragraph e, Code 2014 of Iowa law to allow video-game tournaments using any gaming system.

Here's the current law:

A video machine golf tournament game which is an interactive bona fide contest. A player operates a video machine golf tournament game with a trackball assembly which acts as the golfer's swing and determines the results of play and tournament scores.

And the proposed change:

A video machine tournament game which is an interactive bona fide contest. A player operates a video machine tournament game with a trackball assembly or by player-directed movement with a video or electronic gaming device which determines the results of play and tournament scores.

Love the use of the phrase "bona fide," Iowa. Golden Tee announce crew members Peter Jacobsen and Jim Nantz were unavailable for comment on the potential unraveling of their game's monopoly in Iowa.

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Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is a scratch golfer...sometimes.

Ballengee can be reached by email at ryan[at]thegolfnewsnet.com

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