The new rules of golf starting in January 2019 are finally released. There are over 35 different rule changes and most of those will have a direct impact on your game. It is important to know these new rules before they come to fruition because if you are playing with someone who knows them, it might save or worse cost you strokes.
Golf Canada put out 5 of these major rule changes that I thought I would share. I am going to discuss a few more below.
The out of bounds or a lost ball is causing a stir. What follows would be a local rule. Basically, drop a ball in the vicinity of where the original was lost or out-of-bounds, including the nearest fairway area, pretend your dropped ball as your provisional (three off the tee) and hit four on your next shot. This ruling helps with speed of play. Lets face it, in the morning or with friends we do this anyway; so not it is legal!
There’s also no longer a penalty for a double hit. Personally, I like this rule change. Periodically, I double hit and it frustrates me to no end. It usually happens when I am trying a very delicate shot around the green. Now, I will not be penalized for a silly mistake. This rule is for amateurs and not intended for professional or elite amateurs. Not sure exactly what elite amateurs means, but I would surmise that this means state, provincial, or national level events.
It is about time that we can fix animal damage such as deer walking on the green, crows digging for grubs, or ant hills. Additionally, we can fix spike marks! I think this is a very smart rule and I like it!
A player can take no more than 40 seconds to play a stroke. Now this is one of the most interesting of all decisions. I can honestly say that rarely does a player take more than 40 seconds to make a shot, but on the green. That is a different situation entirely. I have played at military national events, local events, and fun tournaments where they take minutes to line up and make a putt. They do not start lining up or looking at their putt until it is their turn. It makes for a very long day. On a side note, I could not find the penalty for slow play of making a shot in over 40 seconds, this will have an impact on if this is a rule or guideline.
There are many other changes and I will talk about them in the future. But for now, these rules have caught my attention. What do you think about the new rules coming in 2019?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links (very soon)!
Thanks, Jim.
Some good steps here toward a more clear and simpler rules book….which will help us all. Especially a more relaxed approach in hazards.
Cheers, Mike
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Mike
I see some very good changes to the rules for amateurs. We are playing this way for the most part, they just adopted the evolution of the game as they see it. I wonder how long it will take players to adopt the new rules. Maybe a year or two?
Cheers
Jim
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Good question. I’m hopeful it won’t take two years but that’s a realistic timeframe for implementation. And yes, it’s a more intuitive interpretation which many have been asking for. Amateurs need a simpler version and hopefully it will help keep the game fun!
Cheers, Mike.
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We are on the same page for sure. Have a great weekend!
Cheers
Jim
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Jim, I like the new rules changes, especially about dropping. The ability to drop from just above the ground will help prevent you from dropping into a bad lie when taking relief. This was especially frustrating when dropping out of a water hazard into adjacent high grass. Now you can sort of pick a decent clump and drop right on top.
Good stuff, thanks!
Brian
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Thanks Brian. I think the changes are a good thing as well.
Cheers Jim
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The only one I question is the ball drop height change. The explanation used last year to justify the 1 inch drop seemed sensible. Raising it back basically to 1/3rd the original shoulder height seems a strange compromise. I’m not complaining, but it does seem a bit weird. It flies in the face of last years reasoning and doesn’t provide any real benefit.
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Kevin
I did not understand the reason for the change at all, but if they are going to change one ince makes sense to me. I will have to look intonit a bit further before I make my final decision. Great question.
Cheers Jim
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