INDUSTRY NEWS
FINAL RULES CHANGES
FOR 2019 CONFIRMED
The R&A and the USGA have
unveiled the new Rules of Golf, to be
implemented on 1 January 2019.
process for golfers to establish his/
her relief area. (Key change: the
proposed Rules released in 2017
suggested a 20-inch or 80-inch
standard measurement).
The R&A and the USGA finalised
golf’s new Rules last month after
an extensive review that included a
request for feedback from the global
golf community on the proposed
changes. Golfers can now access the
official 2019 Rules of Golf by visiting
RandA.org or usga.org/rules.
• Removing the penalty for a
double hit: The penalty stroke
for accidentally striking the ball
more than once in the course
of a stroke has been removed.
Golfers will simply count the one
stroke they ma de to strike the
ball. (Key change: the proposed
Rules released in 2017 included the
existing one-stroke penalty).
The process to modernise the Rules
began in 2012 and was initiated to
ensure that the Rules are easier to
understand and apply for all golfers
and to make the game more attractive
and accessible for newcomers.
• Balls Lost or Out of Bounds:
Alternative to Stroke and Distance:
A new Local Rule will now be
available in January 2019, permitting
committees to allow golfers the
option to drop the ball in the vicinity
of where the ball is lost or out of
bounds (including the nearest
fairway area), under a two-stroke
penalty. It addresses concerns
raised at the club level about the
negative impact on pace of play
when a player is required to go back
under stroke and distance. The
Local Rule is not intended for higher
While the majority of proposed
Rules remain intact in the final
version, several important changes
to the initial proposals and further
clarification of many Rules were
incorporated. The most significant
adjustments made following review
of the feedback received from golfers
around the world include:
• Dropping procedure: When
taking relief (from an abnormal
course condition or penalty area,
for example), golfers will now
drop from knee height. This will
ensure consistency and simplicity
in the dropping process while also
preserving the randomness of the
drop. (Key change: the proposed
Rules released in 2017 suggested
dropping from any height).
I GOLF MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA
David Rickman, Executive Director –
Governance at The R&A, said, “We are
pleased to be introducing the new
Rules of Golf after a collaborative and
wide-ranging review process which
has embraced the views of golfers,
rules experts and administrators
worldwide. We believe that the new
Rules are more in tune with what
golfers would like and are easier to
understand and apply for everyone
who enjoys playing this great game.”
“We’re thankful for the golfers,
administrators and everyone in the
game who took the time to provide
us with great insight and thoughtful
feedback,” said USGA Senior Director
of Rules & Amateur Status, Thomas
Pagel. “We couldn’t be more excited
to introduce the new Rules ahead of
their education and implementation.”
Major proposals introduced in 2017
that have been incorporated into the
modernised Rules include:
• Elimination or reduction of “ball
moved” penalties: There will be
no penalty for accidentally moving
a ball on the putting green or in
searching for a ball; and a player is
not responsible for causing a ball to
move unless it is “virtually certain”
that he or she did so.
• Measuring in taking relief: The
golfer’s relief area will be measured
by using the longest club in his/
her bag (other than a putter) to
measure one club-length or two
club-lengths, depending on the
situation, providing a consistent
18
levels of play, such as professional
or elite level competitions. (Key
change: this is a new addition to
support pace of play)
• Relaxed putting green rules:
There will be no penalty if a ball
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AUTUMN EDITION 2018