Big rules changes for 2019.

[Zooky]

New golf rules in 2019: What are the biggest changes to the Rules of Golf?

The 20 biggest changes to the Rules of Golf from 2019

1. Less time to search for a lost ball: Golfers can now search for a lost ball for only 3 minutes, down from 5 minutes, before the ball is deemed lost and a player has to re-hit from the previous position
2. New drop procedure: Golfers will now drop from knee height to the ground instead of from shoulder height, so as to allow players to maintain some random nature of dropping but without the likelihood of having to drop again
3. You can take an unplayable lie in a bunker: If a golfer don't want to play a shot out of a bunker, you'll be able to take a drop from outside of the sand with a two-stroke penalty
4. Double-hits are no longer penalized: If a golfer double-hits a ball with the same shot, it won't be a stroke with a penalty stroke added; rather, only a single shot will be counted
5. Loose impediments can be moved in bunkers and other hazards: Golfers were previously barred from moving loose impediments from a sand trap or in a water hazard
6. Incidental contact with the sand in a bunker before and after a shot isn't a penalty: Previously, a golfer touching the sand before and after a bunker shot was penalized as testing the surface. Now a golfer can touch the sand, so long as it's not immediately in front of or behind the ball.
7. Hitting the flagstick with a putt from the green isn't a penalty: Golfers were previously penalized if a putt originating on the putting surface struck the flagstick
8. Spike marks and all other green damage can be repaired: Golfers used to only be able to repair marks clearly made by a golf ball, but they're now allowed to fix spike marks
9. Embedded ball relief everywhere: If a golfer's ball is embedded in the ground, no matter where it is on the golf course (outside of a hazard or penalty area), you can remove it and then get a free drop
10. If a ball moves while on the green, it can be replaced penalty-free: Presuming the golfer doesn't strike the ball, if gravity or wind moves the ball after it's been marked, lifted (optionally cleaned) and then replaced, it can be replaced and played without penalty (the Dustin Johnson Rule)
11. Balls accidentally moved on the putting green can be replaced penalty-free: Similar to the above, a golfer who accidentally moves the ball when they fumble with a coin or their shoes or whatever won't be penalized
12. Water hazards have a new name: They're now called "penalty areas," and courses are encouraged to have more lateral penalty areas
13. Touching the ground in a penalty area is OK: Golfers had previously incurred a one-stroke penalty for grounding their club in what was known as a water hazard
14. If a golfer's ball hit themselves or their clubs, there's no penalty: Previously, golfers were penalized if a ball they struck came back and touched them or their equipment by accident
15. A ball wedged between the flagstick and the edge of the cup counts as holed so long as the ball is beneath the surface of the green: A golfer no longer has to carefully jiggle the flagstick to get the ball to the bottom of the cup for the shot to count as holed
16. Use your longest club for a drop: When taking relief, you'll use the longest non-putter club in your bag, which is your driver, to give up to 48 inches of relief
17. No penalty for moving a ball by accident during search: The ball will simply be replaced as it was found, and the golfer will play on
18. Golfers will take a complete relief when their ball is on another green: Previously, golfers had to only take relief for the ball, not their stance, on a different hole's putting surface
19. Caddies can no longer align players: Long barred on the PGA Tour, caddies will no longer be able to line up a player for a shot
20. A golfer can't use a club or other device -- including elements of nature, like a stick -- as an alignment aid during a shot or even while establishing a stance prior to the stroke

 

[ATL96Steeler]

New golf rules in 2019: What are the biggest changes to the Rules of Golf?

The 20 biggest changes to the Rules of Golf from 2019

1. Less time to search for a lost ball: Golfers can now search for a lost ball for only 3 minutes, down from 5 minutes, before the ball is deemed lost and a player has to re-hit from the previous position
2. New drop procedure: Golfers will now drop from knee height to the ground instead of from shoulder height, so as to allow players to maintain some random nature of dropping but without the likelihood of having to drop again
3. You can take an unplayable lie in a bunker: If a golfer don't want to play a shot out of a bunker, you'll be able to take a drop from outside of the sand with a two-stroke penalty
4. Double-hits are no longer penalized: If a golfer double-hits a ball with the same shot, it won't be a stroke with a penalty stroke added; rather, only a single shot will be counted
5. Loose impediments can be moved in bunkers and other hazards: Golfers were previously barred from moving loose impediments from a sand trap or in a water hazard
6. Incidental contact with the sand in a bunker before and after a shot isn't a penalty: Previously, a golfer touching the sand before and after a bunker shot was penalized as testing the surface. Now a golfer can touch the sand, so long as it's not immediately in front of or behind the ball.
7. Hitting the flagstick with a putt from the green isn't a penalty: Golfers were previously penalized if a putt originating on the putting surface struck the flagstick
8. Spike marks and all other green damage can be repaired: Golfers used to only be able to repair marks clearly made by a golf ball, but they're now allowed to fix spike marks
9. Embedded ball relief everywhere: If a golfer's ball is embedded in the ground, no matter where it is on the golf course (outside of a hazard or penalty area), you can remove it and then get a free drop
10. If a ball moves while on the green, it can be replaced penalty-free: Presuming the golfer doesn't strike the ball, if gravity or wind moves the ball after it's been marked, lifted (optionally cleaned) and then replaced, it can be replaced and played without penalty (the Dustin Johnson Rule)
11. Balls accidentally moved on the putting green can be replaced penalty-free: Similar to the above, a golfer who accidentally moves the ball when they fumble with a coin or their shoes or whatever won't be penalized
12. Water hazards have a new name: They're now called "penalty areas," and courses are encouraged to have more lateral penalty areas
13. Touching the ground in a penalty area is OK: Golfers had previously incurred a one-stroke penalty for grounding their club in what was known as a water hazard
14. If a golfer's ball hit themselves or their clubs, there's no penalty: Previously, golfers were penalized if a ball they struck came back and touched them or their equipment by accident
15. A ball wedged between the flagstick and the edge of the cup counts as holed so long as the ball is beneath the surface of the green: A golfer no longer has to carefully jiggle the flagstick to get the ball to the bottom of the cup for the shot to count as holed
16. Use your longest club for a drop: When taking relief, you'll use the longest non-putter club in your bag, which is your driver, to give up to 48 inches of relief
17. No penalty for moving a ball by accident during search: The ball will simply be replaced as it was found, and the golfer will play on
18. Golfers will take a complete relief when their ball is on another green: Previously, golfers had to only take relief for the ball, not their stance, on a different hole's putting surface
19. Caddies can no longer align players: Long barred on the PGA Tour, caddies will no longer be able to line up a player for a shot
20. A golfer can't use a club or other device -- including elements of nature, like a stick -- as an alignment aid during a shot or even while establishing a stance prior to the stroke

19...love it, LPGA players need to line themselves up.

20 is kind of silly imo.

If there is an existing twig 15" in front of my ball and I use that to line up a shot I don't see how that can be or should be a foul. Now if I put the twig there, different story.

I guess the new OB rule is applicable as a local rule?

 

[Zooky]

19...love it, LPGA players need to line themselves up.

20 is kind of silly imo.

If there is an existing twig 15" in front of my ball and I use that to line up a shot I don't see how that can be or should be a foul. Now if I put the twig there, different story.

I guess the new OB rule is applicable as a local rule?

Yes, only local rule.

I agree with you on the lpga rule. Line yourselves up ladies.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Yes, only local rule.

I agree with you on the lpga rule. Line yourselves up ladies.

New OB.

Given that it's mostly a pace of play rule change, I'm surprised it simply wasn't changed across the board. I don't see why any course would not adopt that as a local rule. I would think players would just adopt it anyway.

As a player it's annoying to see pro golfers being lined up by a caddy...that's probably one of the more fundamental basics of the sport...lining up a shot.

 

[Zooky]

New OB.

Given that it's mostly a pace of play rule change, I'm surprised it simply wasn't changed across the board. I don't see why any course would not adopt that as a local rule. I would think players would just adopt it anyway.

As a player it's annoying to see pro golfers being lined up by a caddy...that's probably one of the more fundamental basics of the sport...lining up a shot.

Will players go to the spot they think the ball went OB and find out they are blocked from hitting the shot they wanted and then elect to go back to the tee again?

This could cause more delays

Iow. Hitting 4 ain’t so great from her, so let’s try to hit shot 3 again

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Will players go to the spot they think the ball went OB and find out they are blocked from hitting the shot they wanted and then elect to go back to the tee again?

This could cause more delays

Iow. Hitting 4 ain’t so great from her, so let’s try to hit shot 3 again

We played a version of this back when we has a traveling 54 hole tourney. With a field of 8 or 12 players, of course we were not an official tourney to the golf course. If we could see OB stakes from where a person last played, you had to put a provisional ball in play if your ball was heading towards OB. If no one could see OB stakes and you get up there and your ball is OB...we allowed you to drop it there where we think it last crossed with a 2 shot penalty.

Bottom line...we know going back to the position last played from slows down the game....in that case you brought up...they could risk hitting it OB again....either hit your provisional, or take the drop with the 2 shots.

Let's keep it moving.

 

[Zooky]

We played a version of this back when we has a traveling 54 hole tourney. With a field of 8 or 12 players, of course we were not an official tourney to the golf course. If we could see OB stakes from where a person last played, you had to put a provisional ball in play if your ball was heading towards OB. If no one could see OB stakes and you get up there and your ball is OB...we allowed you to drop it there where we think it last crossed with a 2 shot penalty.

Bottom line...we know going back to the position last played from slows down the game....in that case you brought up...they could risk hitting it OB again....either hit your provisional, or take the drop with the 2 shots.

Let's keep it moving.

I agree 100 percent. Will it be enforced that you cannot go back to the tee though?

 

[fknhippie]

I agree 100 percent. Will it be enforced that you cannot go back to the tee though?

Good luck going back to the tee on a public course. I'd be cussing you out.

 

[fknhippie]

They need to make it legal to straddle the ball when putting...I'm a lot more accurate that way.

 

[Cobrabit]

#9 is going to be the biggest help to me. With my high ball flight, I routinely have tee/approach shots that crater after rains on the local courses. Being able to take relief without penalty is nice.

 

[Zooky]

 

[Cobrabit]

That's a nice find and helps to visualize the new rules.

 

[ill]

20 is kind of silly imo.

If there is an existing twig 15" in front of my ball and I use that to line up a shot I don't see how that can be or should be a foul. Now if I put the twig there, different story.

I think they mean you can't use alignment sticks or your club or a stick laying nearby to line your feet up like this

 

[Zooky]

@ATL96Steeler did you check out the video above? It answers a lot of questions I think.

 

[Zooky]

Rickie still bitter about the drop penalty

 

[NEhomer]

I'm good with all of them except for #1.

I don't play with forecaddys like the pros. If I'm on track for a great score and need to find my drive on 18 I don't think the previous 5 minutes rule was unreasonable.