USGA/R&A Introduce "Modernized" Rules

[Braivo]

One step closer to treating all penalty, hazard, OB areas the same - most weekend golfers do this anyway. Big improvement IMO. Speeds up play, less confusion, red stakes everywhere. 

Ready golf and distance measuring devices would also speed up pro play, though they may not adopt that. 

Ground clubs in hazard is a good change as well. No one is getting an advantage by grounding their club and gets ridiculous in non-sand hazards where you have to hold the club a foot off the ground to avoid hitting some grass, etc. 

All around I like these changes. 

[iacas]

The kitchen guys who were supposed to be here tomorrow are here today instead. So now I've got a helluva lot of noise.

[nevets88]

In short summary format, according to the USGA and R&A, 5 most significant changes:

 

[Shooting29]

I read through them. The only one that I paused at was the accidentally moving a ball during a search. People could use this if they were dishonest to gain an advantage if they had a poor lie. But in the end the people who will use these new rules to their advantage to cheat were always cheaters anyway. Now instead of dropping Easter eggs they'll just change modus operandi. 

[Pete]

32 minutes ago, iacas said:

Measuring the Size of the Relief Area Where a Ball Must Be Dropped and Played

I think this is a pretty big one too. Nearest point of relief, 20 inches, job done. No more 1 club length of my choice and then some extra roll to get me out of trouble.

I think some changes will make the game easier (such as flagstick rule) but some, like this drop area rule, will actually remove some of the advantages that you can currently gain.

1 minute ago, Shooting29 said:

But in the end the people who will use these new rules to their advantage to cheat were always cheaters anyway.

Exactly! If someone is willing to cheat, why would a rule (existing or new) stop them?

[iacas]

Caller asks if the loose impediment penalty would have affected Dustin Johnson or Anna Nordquist.

You can't test the condition (no practice swings). You still cannot ground your club around the ball.

So both are still penalties.

Feedback Period ends August 31

I'm going to leave this topic open but I encourage everyone here to post in the individual topics relating to each of the specific rules.

https://thesandtrap.com/forums/forum/10-rules-of-golf/

They're all pinned to the top there.

[NCGolfer]

It think most of the rules simplify things and should speed the pace of play up.  I'm not opposed to most of what they have suggested.

Leaving the flagstick in for putting?  I think that can alter strategy and the fundamental way the game is played.  I understand that they want it for pace of play but it can be used much differently.

[iacas]

1 minute ago, NCGolfer said:

Leaving the flagstick in for putting?  I think that can alter strategy and the fundamental way the game is played.  I understand that they want it for pace of play but it can be used much differently.

I agree. Given the advantage of it - not to mention the differences in whether it leans toward you or away from you causing a difference in the way it plays - I hope that may be one of the Proposed Rules that's reverted slightly.

Here's a summary from someone else. I've not vetted it but it should be pretty accurate.

--No more penalties for accidentally moving a ball on the putting green or in searching for a ball

--Golfers may putt without having the flagstick attended or removed. A speed of play, play.

--Repairing spike marks and other damage on the putting green to be allowed. Not a speed of play helper.

--More red hazard lines to include desert areas and no penalty for touching the hazard in such an area, which also includes moving loose impediments. 

--In bunkers, no penalty for touching loose impediments or for touching the sand with a hand or club. Still no grounding the club next to the ball or in front of the ball. We'll call this the Anna rule.

--We trust you, we really really trust you rules. This is a video evidence situation again, allowing for "reasonable judgement" when estimating point of entry drops, etc...

--Reduced time for searching for a lost ball from five down to three minutes

--You can keep playing a damaged club during a round. No penalty for an altered club, even if you wrapped it around a tree in a childish hissy-fit.

--Use of distance measuring devices permitted at all times, except by Local Rule (this should be fun for Augusta and the PGA Tour).

--No more caddies lining up players before a shot. This was almost strictly an LPGA Tourproblem.

--A new “Maximum Score” form of stroke play, where your score can be capped to a number set by the Committee. In this proposed format you can pick up and move to the next hole when your score "will be at or above the maximum."

--New presentation of how the rules are presented

--New "plain" language in the writing of the rules

[Pete]

Sorry for spamming this thread but I've just had a thought with the flagstick rule proposal.

If I want the flagstick in and my playing partner wants it out, we could be pulling it out, and putting it back in depending on who's putting. This could cause a delay in play rather than speed it up. I suppose I could just putt out with the flag in, but if that means standing on my playing partner's line, they I'd have to mark it, pull the flag, let him putt, put the flag back in, take my putt etc.

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, Pete said:

Sorry for spamming this thread but I've just had a thought with the flagstick rule proposal.

Please post in the appropriate topics.

Each of them have their own topic in the Rules of Golf sub-forum: https://thesandtrap.com/forums/forum/10-rules-of-golf/ .

[nevets88]

Slideshow summary from Golf Digest

[krupa]

@iacas has there been any discussion/mention/questions about updating/clarifying/simplifying definitions?

For example, looking at the USGA site today there's no definition for "grounding a club".  (Under G, anyway).  If you're going to allow people to "touch sand with the club" but not "ground the club"  it would be nice if they were very clear and explicit about the difference between the two.

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, krupa said:

@iacas has there been any discussion/mention/questions about updating/clarifying/simplifying definitions?

For example, looking at the USGA site today there's no definition for "grounding a club".  (Under G, anyway).  If you're going to allow people to "touch sand with the club" but not "ground the club"  it would be nice if they were very clear and explicit about the difference between the two.

I don't know and maybe someone can get to this before I can.

You can't ground your club near the ball. Touching the sand just means like walking to the ball, sweeping away loose impediments, etc.

There's no definition right now for "grounding your club" as you suggest, but there are plenty of what they call "internal definitions" defined in the applicable Rule.

[Wally Fairway]

Iacas - thanks for putting up these threads. I think the proposals, overall are great, and that having a group of discrete threads makes the discussion much better and focused than trying to put all the discussion into one thread. {thumbs up}

 

[bmartin461]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Please post in the appropriate topics.

Each of them have their own topic in the Rules of Golf sub-forum: https://thesandtrap.com/forums/forum/10-rules-of-golf/ .

I can't find the proposed change related to grounding a club in a hazard, that one seems interesting, what section would that be in?
 

[krupa]

8 minutes ago, bmartin461 said:

I can't find the proposed change related to grounding a club in a hazard, that one seems interesting, what section would that be in?
 

 

[bmartin461]

4 minutes ago, krupa said:

 

Thank you.

[dsc123]

Are we allowed to adopt some of these rules in our current play, and still report the rounds for handicap purposes?