TheRules
Hazards No More
Broadly defined penalty areas will replace water hazards in the new Rules of Golf
Compiled by CHRIS LANG
WE ’ RE NOW LESS THAN FOUR 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 in the new year , with help from the USGA and the R & A , we ’ ll take a look in this issue of Virginia Golfer at penalty areas , a concept that will replace hazards in the Rules ’ language going forward .
CURRENT RULE : Rule 26-1 allows relief with penalty when a ball is in a “ water hazard ” ( marked yellow ) or a “ lateral water hazard ” ( marked red ). These hazards are limited to areas with water or where water may flow , and no other areas may be marked as water hazards , even if they might present similar obstacles to play .
2019 RULE : Under the new Rules , the term water hazard will be superseded by the expanded concept of penalty areas , and Rule 17 will provide the same basic options for relief that exist under the current Rules . Essentially , the new Rules will allow for more than just areas that feature water to be defined as “ penalty areas .”
In Arizona or Nevada , for instance , a swath of desert may be considered a penalty area . In Hawaii , a lava rock field could be included . In more exotic locales , areas of thick jungle could now be considered a penalty area .
The two types of penalty areas will be known by the color of their marking , and will be similar to what you see on a course today : Red penalty areas ( today called lateral water hazards ) and yellow penalty areas ( today called water hazards ). Committees will be given the discretion to mark all penalty areas as red so that lateral relief will always be allowed . Finally , the term “ hazard ” will no longer be used in the Rules .
WHY THE CHANGE ? The options to take relief back on a line behind any water hazard ( current Rules 26-1b ) or within two club-lengths of where a ball entered a lateral water hazard have become important for pace of play , as the player can usually play from near the hazard rather than having to go back some distance to play from where the previous stroke was made .
The USGA and R & A also reason that requiring areas to contain water seems to be a somewhat arbitrary reason for permitting such relief options . The broader use of “ penalty areas ” will allow committees to respond to the wide range of settings in which golf is played by giving relief from areas that present similar obstacles to existing water hazards such as difficulties with finding and playing a ball and similar practical needs about pace of play .
In addition , the USGA and R & A reason , giving committees the discretion to mark all penalty areas as red will make it simpler for players to learn the relief options and will further help pace of play . The distinction between yellow and red water hazards is not always well understood , the two governing bodies note .
Individual committees will remain free to choose what to mark as a penalty area and when to mark a penalty area as yellow — such as to preserve the challenge of playing a particular hole .
Want to learn more about the upcoming changes to the Rules of Golf ? 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 .
Fall Rules Workshops
The VSGA and MAPGA will conduct workshops on the new Rules of Golf starting this fall . For up-to-date information on dates , locations and how to attend , please visit VSGA . org .
CHRIS LANG
16 V IRGINIA G OLFER | S EPTEMBER / O CTOBER 2018 vsga . org