New Match Play Terminology and Rules

This one is pretty simple, and mirrors the Embedded Ball Rule change in essentially flipping an often-used Local Rule into a standard Rule. In 2018's Rules of Golf, Rule 14-3b, Appendix 1A (section 7), and Appendix IV (section 5) cover distance-measuring devices...

This is yet another splendid simplification of a cumbersome old Rule. The bottom line here: if you damage your club in any way you may continue to use it and you may not replace it. Seems fair, right? Well, what if your driver falls out of the bag and the maniac in...

In 2018, players looking to take relief for an unplayable ball in a bunker under Rule 28 had only two options: Drop and play a ball in the bunker itself, either on a line back from the hole or within two club lengths, or Taking stroke-and-distance relief, and...

The rule(s) concerning Water Hazards and Lateral Water Hazards have often been charged with being too complicated. A strict prohibition on certain actions has never been really practical, so a series of exceptions had to be made. You can find these in Rule 13-4, Rule...

The putting green used to be a pretty special place. And, while it still is in 2019, some of the old Rules and restrictions no longer apply. In 2018, the Line of Play (or "Line of Putt") on the putting green was fairly well protected, too. The line could be touched...

What are the odds that the golf ball manufacturers were in on this? 🙂 In my experience as a referee, many players are inclined to give up before my stopwatch hits five minutes, the 2018 limit. 2019 Rule: Under Rule 18.2, the time for a ball search (before the ball...

Under the 2018 Rules, players are only allowed to substitute a ball when taking relief under a few specific Rules. Substitution is allowed when taking penalty relief, such as when a ball is lost in a water hazard, unplayable, or lost or OB. Substitution is not allowed...

Historically, a player may change a damaged ball if it was "out of shape." The USGA and R&A say there is no longer a good reason to allow substitution for a ball in play in that condition because: The construction and composition of modern golf balls has made it...

When a ball moves anywhere on the course (prior to 2019, or without the Local Rule under 18-2, both of which account for accidental movement on the putting green), the Rules of Golf have historically cared about what caused it to move. Was it the ball settling down in...

Hey, my ball moved! I don't know how or from whence it moved. What do I do now? Well, we know that 1) you must make your best estimate for its original location and then 2) get it back there. In the past sometimes we dropped it and sometimes we placed it . . . the...

In 2018 and earlier years, Rule 16-1c allowed players only the ability to repair old hole plugs and ball marks, but forbid the repair of other damage including spike marks, hoof prints from deer, and other imperfections. In 2019, these rules have been relaxed. In...

In 2018, Rule 25 allows relief for a ball embedded in its own pitch mark when the ball is embedded in grass cut to fairway height or lower through the green. However a Committee may adopt a Local Rule that extends this relief to a ball embedded anywhere outside a...