Several impor tant rules changes are coming in 2019

THE R&A and the USGA have finalised golf’s new rules after an extensive review – which come into effect on January 1, 2019 – and, while the vast majority of golf’s rules remain intact, there are several important changes that, although nine months away from implementation, are already causing controversy among golfing folk.

I’m the first to admit that I’m no expert on the rules of golf and I usually avoid debate on them when a situation arises, so I’m not going to start picking holes in something that has been assembled by a panel of golfing experts world-wide. I am simply going to give you the main changes in what I consider to be lay-man’s terms and if you want to go to the bother of reading the full draft it is available on the R&A’s website.

DROPPING procedure: When taking relief, golfers will now drop from knee height to ensure consistency and simplicity in the dropping process. I remember the original way was dropping the ball backwards over the shoulder before that was changed some years ago to the present method of dropping from shoulder height. MEASURING in taking relief: The golfer’s relief area will be measured by using the longest club in the bag (other than a putter) to measure one club-length or two club-lengths, depending on the situation, providing a consistent process for golfers to establish a relief area. (Note: the proposed Rules released in 2017 suggested a 20-inch or 80-inch standard measurement). REMOVING the penalty for a double hit: The penalty stroke for accidentally striking the ball more than once during a stroke has been removed and under the new rules golfers will simply count the one stroke they made to strike the ball.

BALLS lost or Out of Bounds: A new Local Rule will now be available from next January, permitting club and championship committees to allow golfers the option of dropping the ball in the vicinity of where the ball is lost or out of bounds under a two-stroke penalty. The idea of this is to speed up play basically but the new rule is not intended for higher levels of play, such as professional or elite level competitions. 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. RELAXED putting green rules: There will be no penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits an unattended flagstick in the hole and players will be allowed to putt without having the flagstick attended or removed. Spike marks and other damage made by shoes can also be repaired on the putting green and there is no penalty for touching the line of putt. RELAXED rules for ‘penalty areas’ (currently called ‘water hazards’): There will be no penalty for moving loose impediments or touching the ground or water in a penalty area. RELAXED bunker rules: There will be no penalty for moving loose impediments in a bunker or for generally touching the sand with a hand or club but of course you may not ground the ground in a bunker. An extra relief option is added however for an unplayable ball in a bunker, allowing the ball to be played from outside the bunker with a two-stroke penalty. RELYING on player integrity: A player’s ‘reasonable judgment’ when estimating or measuring a spot, point, line, area or distance will be upheld, even if video evidence later shows it to be wrong; and elimination of announcement procedures when lifting a ball to identify it or to see if it is damaged.

PACE of play: The amount of time spent looking for a lost ball is to be reduced from five minutes to three. I would have to say that I like all of these changes and they are for the good of the game and for the pace of the game but the Out of Bounds change is in my opinion open to all sorts of abuse at amateur club level. Time will tell.