TheRules
THE NEW RULES OF GOLF
Compiled by CHRIS LANG
About Ball
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WE’ RE NOW LESS THAN SIX MONTHS AWAY from the implementation of the modernized Rules of Golf, set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2019. In a continuing effort to educate members on the changes coming next year, with help from the USGA and the R & A, we’ ll take a look in this issue of Virginia Golfer at how the rules governing the golf ball will evolve. to apply complicated analysis to decide which player the shared equipment belonged to at the time.”
BALL MOVED DURING SEARCH Current rule: If a player moves his or her ball while searching for it, the player generally gets a one-stroke penalty( with four limited exceptions), and when the player does not know the ball’ s exact original spot, he or she must return it to play by dropping it as near as possible to that estimated spot.
BALL ACCIDENTALLY STRUCK MULTIPLE TIMES DURING STROKE Current rule: If a player accidentally strikes his or her ball two or more times when making a single stroke, the player gets a one-stroke penalty in addition to the stroke that was made, regardless of the number of times the ball is struck. The ball is then played as it lies.
2019 rule: Under Rule 10.1a, if the player’ s club accidentally hits the ball more than once during a single stroke, there will be no penalty and the ball will be played as it lies. If the player deliberately strikes the ball more than once when it is in motion, in addition to counting the stroke, he or she will also get the general penalty under Rule 11.3 for deliberately deflecting a ball in motion.
Why the change? Simply put, accidents are being treated as accidents.
“ When a player’ s club accidentally strikes his or her ball multiple times, it usually results in the ball going somewhere that the player did not intend for it to go,” the USGA and R & A reason.“ The outcome in such cases is random and unpredictable, and it results in a disadvantage for the player as often as it results in an advantage. … Treating all accidental deflections the same no matter who or
what caused them will simplify the Rules by providing consistency.”
BALL IN MOTION ACCIDENTALLY DEFLECTED Current rule: If a player’ s ball in motion is accidentally deflected, the outcome depends on what caused the deflection, including a one-stroke penalty in most cases where a ball hits the player or his or her equipment or caddie.
2019 rule: Under Rule 11.1, for all accidental deflections, including when the ball hits the player or opponent, or their equipment or caddies, there will be no penalty and the ball will be played as it lies, with limited exceptions. To address any concern that a player might deliberately position equipment to act as a backstop and potentially deflect his or her ball, there will be a penalty if the ball hits equipment that was positioned for that purpose( Rule 11.2a).
Why the change?“ Treating all accidental deflections the same, no matter who or what caused them, will greatly simplify the Rules in various situations, such as when a player’ s ball is deflected by equipment being shared with another player( such as a golf cart),” the USGA and R & A reason.“ It will no longer be necessary
2019 rule: Under Rule 7.4, if a player accidentally moves his or her ball while searching for it, the player will get no penalty for causing it to move, and the ball will always be replaced. If the exact spot is not known, the player will replace the ball on the estimated original spot( including on, under or against any attached natural or man-made objects which the ball had been at rest under or against).
Why the change? The USGA and R & A lay out several reasons for this change, but in simple terms, a fundamental principle of golf is to play the ball as it lies, so the Rules should help the player to find his or her ball and play it from the spot where it was at rest. Players often need to probe in grass, bushes and leaves and other conditions to look for a hidden ball, and such reasonable acts create an inherent risk of moving the ball. Replacing the ball once found rather than dropping it will help recreate the original, and likely, more difficult lie where the ball originally came to rest.
We’ ll tackle more Rules changes in upcoming Virginia Golfer issues. For more information, visit the USGA’ s New Rules Hub at USGA. org, or visit the site of Virginia Golf Hall of Famer and Rules expert Dr. Lew Blakey at generalarea. org.
16 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ULY / A UGUST 2018 vsga. org