Straight drive Rules education in overdrive
With the new rules set to kick-in next month, national association busy doing its part
The participants clearly enjoyed both the classroom sessions as well as on-course demonstrations, particularly the new rules such as dropping from the right way and taking relief. C.C. Boo
AS the year ever so rapidly draws to a close and golf clubs and the corporate world slowly but surely ease into a state of slow-mo, the custodians of the game are still busy trying to get across the message of what the new rules mean and how they impact the sport.
With effect from January 1, 2019, the R&A, the world governing body outside the US and Mexico, which fall under the auspices of the United States Golf Association (USGA), will introduce new rules that are set to forever change the way we play the game and make it a lot more interesting, while also encouraging new players to take it up.
Among the more significant changes in the rules are:
a) New procedures for dropping the ball when taking relief.
b) The elimination or reduction of several penalties.
c) Relaxed putting green rules, including no penalty for striking an unattended flagstick when playing a ball on the putting green.
d) Relaxed bunker and penalty area rules, and
e) Rules that encourage improved pace of play.
There is also a new Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf being introduced to provide a shorter, more user-friendly version of the rules at all levels of the sport.
This will be welcomed by both golfers and officials, if only because it will make it easier and quicker to get a grasp on what the new rules are.
The Rules of Golf and Official Guide are also available now on the R&A’s website and on the R&A’s new 2019 Rules of Golf App (iOS and Android). Print versions of the Official Guide are now also available.
The Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) have been doing their part in educating local golfers on the new rules and have gone some way to achieving their objective by hosting several seminars and new rules courses.
It was after the R&A released the new Rules of Golf 2019, both in printed and digital versions in early September, that the MGA’s Rules Sub-committee organised a referees’ get together and new rules briefing at Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam (KGPA) in Kuala Lumpur.
“The plan was to ensure that all our registered referees are kept abreast of the latest rules and are ‘rules ready’ come Jan 2019,” said MGA Rules Sub-committee chairman C.C. Boo.
“A total of 71 MGA registered referees from Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak attended that seminar conducted by five instructors – Deborah Wong, Harbans Singh, Yeoh Chin Nam, Mohammad Khairi and myself, who all attended the new rules seminar conducted by the R&A in Bangkok earlier in the year,” added Boo.
No fewer than 50 officials, mostly MGA registered referees, attended a Level 2 Rules School last month and among them were two officials from Pakistan.
“The participants clearly enjoyed both the classroom sessions as well as on-course demonstrations, particularly on the new rules such as dropping from the right way and taking relief from the correct relief areas,” said Boo.
A basic Level 1 Rules School, designed for club golfers at large and club committees and staff was also held at KGPA last month where 66 participants took part.
A similar exercise was staged at Kota Permai Golf & Country Club in Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam.
“There is a high demand for our elementary new rules programme conducted between two and three hours, highlighting the key changes,” said Boo. “And we are busy working on this.”
The MGA Rules Sub-committee chairman said they welcomed affiliates, golf clubs, golf administrators, golf media and junior golf organisations to contact the association should they wish to learn more.
For more information, email info@mgaonline.com.my