Rules of Golf

The latest alterations are not massive changes, but significant enough that you should be aware of them.

One of the most important changes that you should know of concerns equipment. Players are now allowed to replace clubs during a round if they are damaged accidentally, so if you accidentally dent your driver or the shaft of your club snaps on impact with the ball, you can now fix or replace this club. If, however, the damage is caused by any abuse of the club you are still not entitled to fix or replace it.

Another change is when taking a drop near penalty areas. If a player has taken relief from a penalty area and the ball moves back in after a drop or rolls to another part of the course, they can replace the ball to the spot without adding an additional penalty. I’m sure we all remember Ricky Fowler placing his ball next to water hazard, going to look at the green and the ball rolling back into the water, incurring another penalty. That would not happen now.

Players will also be allowed to take back-on-the-line relief after finding a penalty area or an unplayable lie, as it was before the 2019 modifications.

Golfers will no longer be penalised for forgetting to write their handicaps on their scorecards in stroke-play competitions or writing the incorrect handicap down. This is due to more players using apps and online score input.

Model Local Rule L-1 saves players from disqualification if they haven’t signed their scorecard after a round. This will now incur a two-shot penalty rather exclusion from the competition.

A number of penalties have been reduced from two shots to just one to make the game fairer. Along with the changes made to writing your handicap and signing your scorecard, the rules are becoming more forgiving.

There is also an new Rule (Rule 25) which relates to modified rules for players with certain disablilities. This is a significant step towards inclusivity in the sport.