PGA Tour 6 Rule Changes for 2026

[saevel25]

6 rules changes the PGA Tour is enacting in 2026 (and what triggered them)

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The PGA Tour shared several rules changes with its players on Tuesday. Here's what you need to know about why the rules have been modified.

 

 

[iacas]

I'm not so sure about one or two of them.

The scorecard length for LCP makes sense. It's odd that they were using a club length on the PGA Tour for as long as they were.

@DaveP043, does the embedded ball mark jibe with the ROG?

[iacas]

Never mind, actually. I'm behind on this stuff.

https://www.usga.org/content/dam/usga/pdf/2026/2026 USGA Local Rules and Terms of the Competition - FINAL.pdf

Clarifications of the Rules of Golf

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Clarifications of the Rules of Golf

 

[DaveP043]

12 hours ago, iacas said:

I'm not so sure about one or two of them.

The scorecard length for LCP makes sense. It's odd that they were using a club length on the PGA Tour for as long as they were.

@DaveP043, does the embedded ball mark jibe with the ROG?

These were almost all included on the list of Clarifications or revised Model Local Rules released just a few days ago.  I'm pretty sure the first 3 are brand new MLRs (Moved/Wrong Place, Embedded Ball in someone else's pitch mark, Internal OB applies only to tee shot) that the PGA Tour is choosing to use.  The 16.1 Rule (relief near a Putting Green) was revised allowed a Committee to give relief for more than just Immoveable Obstructions, microphone holes would be classed as GUR (a hole made by the maintenance staff).  The replacement club rule was available before, the E-3 (Lift Clean and Place distance) could have been defined as "one scorecard" before, they're just a change in how the PGA choices.

Here are the January 1 Clarifications and revised MLRs

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/clarifications-of-the-rules-of-golf.html#cp

[iacas]

22 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

These were almost all included on the list of Clarifications or revised Model Local Rules released just a few days ago.

Which is why I added…

On 1/7/2026 at 9:32 PM, iacas said:

Never mind, actually. I'm behind on this stuff.

https://www.usga.org/content/dam/usga/pdf/2026/2026 USGA Local Rules and Terms of the Competition - FINAL.pdf

 

Clarifications of the Rules of Golf

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Clarifications of the Rules of Golf

 

😛

[DaveP043]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Which is why I added…

😛

Hey, you looped me in, I had to comment in some way.  Anyone want to guess how many times I'll get asked "Do I get relief, it looks like I'm in a pitch mark?", even when that MLR isn't in effect?

[Shindig]

12 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Hey, you looped me in, I had to comment in some way.  Anyone want to guess how many times I'll get asked "Do I get relief, it looks like I'm in a pitch mark?", even when that MLR isn't in effect?

Maybe we can set up a pool for the next time you're working a tournament  

[iacas]

On 1/9/2026 at 9:43 AM, DaveP043 said:

Hey, you looped me in, I had to comment in some way.

Hmmmmm.

On 1/9/2026 at 9:43 AM, DaveP043 said:

Hey, you looped me in, I had to comment in some way.  Anyone want to guess how many times I'll get asked "Do I get relief, it looks like I'm in a pitch mark?", even when that MLR isn't in effect?

6 or 7. 😉 

 

[DaveP043]

2 minutes ago, iacas said:

Hmmmmm.

6 or 7. 😉 

 

Yeah, that won't surprise me.  I don't know about you, but in my area Referees often call the Notice to Player a "DNR"....did not read.  

[iacas]

55 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Yeah, that won't surprise me.  I don't know about you, but in my area Referees often call the Notice to Player a "DNR"....did not read.  

One thing in your favor… those who don't know about the Rules much probably aren't reading about them right now. And this situation doesn't happen that often on TV, either.

[Maroon88]

So the question was posed today by some of my friends.  Is a pitch mark the same as a divot?  I thought NO, but they argued if your ball lands in another player's divot (made by club during a swing) this was the same as a pitch mark, i.e. the ball mark made when the ball lands

 

[iacas]

12 minutes ago, Maroon88 said:

So the question was posed today by some of my friends.  Is a pitch mark the same as a divot?  I thought NO, but they argued if your ball lands in another player's divot (made by club during a swing) this was the same as a pitch mark, i.e. the ball mark made when the ball lands

a) No

b) This MLR says:

Quote

Model Local Rule F-2.3

This Model Local Rule is recommended only for use in competitions where there is live television coverage, where a ruling made in real time may later be questioned based on when video evidence of that player’s stroke is shown on the broadcast.

I doubt the MLR is going to affect their weekly league games, in other words.

[DaveP043]

On 1/11/2026 at 9:04 PM, Maroon88 said:

So the question was posed today by some of my friends.  Is a pitch mark the same as a divot?  I thought NO, but they argued if your ball lands in another player's divot (made by club during a swing) this was the same as a pitch mark, i.e. the ball mark made when the ball lands

I agree with @iacas, a pitch mark is not a divot.  Separately, that Local Rule is extremely unlikely to ever be in effect for you, or me, or 99+% of players.  And even if it were, note the wording in the MLR "if a referee determines....".  When's the last time you had a Referee providing rulings in your rounds?

 

[mdl]

On 1/13/2026 at 10:39 AM, DaveP043 said:

I agree with @iacas, a pitch mark is not a divot.  Separately, that Local Rule is extremely unlikely to ever be in effect for you, or me, or 99+% of players.  And even if it were, note the wording in the MLR "if a referee determines....".  When's the last time you had a Referee providing rulings in your rounds?

 

 I was also confused by this. In the article, two of the three examples were talking about tee shots the ended up in divots 🤷‍♂️ But whatever, in friendly comps with buddies we always allow free relief from divots, and in more formal tournaments I'm never playing with tour pros where the landing zone for a good shot is like half divots and half grass 😆 So doesn't happen much anywayh.