CRAZY GOLF
10 RADICAL RULE CHANGES ARE SET TO REVOLUTIONISE THE GAME, SO NO MORE...
THEY were the most arcane set of rules governing any sport, so impenetrable and lacking in common sense it was hardly surprising that even the world’s finest were frequently caught out.
No longer. In 2019, we will see the most radical changes to the Rules of Golf for more than 60 years. out go stupid things, like players penalised for inadvertently hitting the sand on their backswing while playing from a bunker. In come a whole raft of sensible measures that fit the modern game.
Here are the 10 changes that are going to make the biggest difference to your playing and viewing experience.
1. REPAIRING SPIKE MARKS BEFORE PUTTING
SoME players’ careers never recovered from seeking to avoid putting over a spike mark (by marking the ball incorrectly, for example) — and being found out. Now, they will be allowed to repair any damage on the green before putting. Clearly, being permitted to do something that was once considered unpardonable, like tapping down a spike mark, might take some getting used to for the professionals.
‘This is one of those areas where we’re trying to reflect the modern game,’ Grant Moir, director of Rules for the R&A, explained. ‘ The putting surfaces are presented to such a high standard these days with the consequent level of expectation that it feels right that players should be able to repair any damage before putting. We think this change will work well.’
2. PUTTING WITH THE FLAGSTICK STILL IN PLACE
IT USEd to be a two- shot penalty if you hit the flag while putting from on the green. Now, in an effort to speed up play, you don’t have to wait for someone to attend the flagstick if you are a long way from the hole, as there’s no longer any infringement if you do hit the flag. Will the pros seek to take advantage, on those fast, slippery downhill putts where hitting the flag might stop the ball from going a long way past? Said Moir: ‘We’re aware this might happen, but we feel for the good of the game as a whole this change is a huge positive.’
3. DROPPING THE BALL FROM KNEE RATHER THAN SHOULDER HEIGHT
‘THIS will be one of the most significant changes,’ said Moir. ‘We’ve gone with this new rule where the ball has to be dropped within one club length when taking relief from a penalty area (the new term for all hazards), and to try to ensure this happens on the first drop, the ball will now be dropped from knee height. The old rule was far too complex for most players and this should simplify the procedure.’
4. NO PENALTY FOR A DOUBLE HIT
PERHAPS the only thing worse than chunking a chip and inadvertently hitting the ball for a second time on your follow through was the resultant twoshot penalty.
Talk about clobbering a player when they’re down on their luck. Mercifully, this will now change in 2019.
‘one of the things we were keen to move away from was penalties for accidentally deflecting a ball, and this falls firmly in that category,’ said Moir.
5. READY TO PLAY
HoW many times have you stood on the tee and felt frustrated as the player whose honour it is to play first marks their scorecard and generally faffs about while you’re ready? In 2019, the honour lies with the player ready to tee off, not the one who had the lowest score on the previous hole.
6. NO PENALTY FOR ACCIDENTALLY MOVING A BALL WHILE LOOKING FOR IT
ANoTHER nonsensical regulation discarded to the dustbin of history. You’re looking for a ball in the thick rough and you get penalised one shot because you happened to inadvertently kick it? ‘This is inappropriate,’ said Moir. ‘Now, using their best estimate, players need to replace the ball in the spot where the ball was found. If they couldn’t see it when they accidentally moved it, for example, it should still be difficult to see when they’ve replaced it.’
7. NO PENALTY FOR INADVERTENTLY MOVING A LOOSE IMPEDIMENT IN A PENALTY AREA
BRIAN dAVIS must have allowed himself a wry smile at this change. The Londoner was once denied a first victory on the PGA Tour after calling a two- shot penalty on himself for disturbing a reed whilst attempting to play from a water hazard during a play-off for the 2010 Heritage Classic against Jim Furyk. ‘There will be a few players feeling like that,’ said Moir. ‘We felt it didn’t make sense that different circumstances applied just because you were the wrong side of a red penalty line. Now, you can play the same shot if you are standing inside a penalty area as outside it.’
8. RELAXED BUNKER RULES
‘WE FELT it was important to maintain the challenge of playing from a bunker, so players will still be required to hover the club behind the ball and not ground it,’ said Moir. ‘What we wanted to get away from was the raft of accidental penalties, such as if you touch the sand inadvertently on your backswing, and you can also remove loose impediments in your way.’
9. TIME LIMIT OF THREE MINUTES INSTEAD OF FIVE WHEN FOR LOOKING FOR A BALL
ANoTHER measure designed to help speed up the game.
10. RELYING ON PLAYER INTEGRITY
WE’VE seen all hell let loose when video replays later show that a player got it wrong estimating where a ball entered a water hazard, and so the spot where they could drop under penalty. Now, getting it wrong by a reasonable amount will be forgivable.
‘The rules have always relied on the honesty of players, but what we were keen to move away from was this detailed analysis later on of what they’ve done, where perhaps an unfair burden is placed on them,’ said Moir. ‘If it can reasonably be shown that a player has made an honest assessment of where a ball entered a penalty area, and it was later shown they got it slightly wrong, we’re not going to penalise in that situation.’