Category: Rules of Golf

Ladies:

 

Your Tournament Committee has asked me to cover the Rules’ situations below.

Hole #2. In compliance with the new 2019 directives from the USGA our Club decided to mark the penalty area , water, with red stakes.  This allows a player to make a lateral drop, two club lengths from where the ball last crossed the penalty area no closer to the pin.  Your ball  MUST CROSS the penalty area and then go bak into the water for you to drop on the green side.  If your ball just hits the rocks or the pilings around the bunker and bounces back into the water it has NOT crossed the penalty area.  In such a case you will have to hit again from where you last played your ball, or drop a ball inline with the pin and where it crossed the penalty area as far back as you like but  NOT green side.  All options incur a one stroke penalty.  If you incorrectly drop a ball green side you may be disqualified!

Cold hands, warm hearts.  It has been cold lately, and for those players with warm hearts but cold hands it is permissible to use a hand warmer to unfreeze your digits, however, do NOT allow your warmer to come into contact with your golf balls.  A hand warmer is classified as an “artificial device” and they not permitted to be used.  Keep your ball warmer in one pocket and your golf balls in the other pocket.

Hole 17.  I am still in discussions with Jon about this hole’s markings but currently the only change to this hole is having a “drop area”.  If your ball goes into the penalty area, water, in front of the tee box you may use the drop area for your next shot and take a one stroke penalty.  Nothing else has changed on this hole.  If you make a shot from for example the green side bunkers, the cart part, or from the green and your ball rolls over the pilings into the water currently your only option is to play again from where you made your last stroke and take a one stroke penalty.  No lateral drops close to the pilings or margin of the penalty area are allowed.

I hope this helps you.

Hilary

Below is a link to an excellent video on the 20 most important Rules changes for 2019. If you have ANY questions don’t hesitate to e mail me and ask. 

 Pace of play has ben a driving factor for many of these changes so hopefully play days may have shorter rounds for you all.  There is a new Local Rule in 2019 for “Out of Bounds and Lost ball” that the NGGA is highly recommending to be instituted at Clubs where pace of play is a serious problem.

The NCGA itself will be using this Local Rule in some of its tournaments next year.  HOWEVER,  it is up to each club to decide if they want to implement its use for play.  Our Tournament Committee, Bonnie Ladd and Donna Grover, will be looking into this for us.  It however should not be used in Club Championship play.  I have pasted a link below to this also.

Remember, any questions, just ask!

 20 New Rules

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chPOtfLUHC0&list=RDchPOtfLUHC0&index=1

New Local Rule, OB Lost Ball

http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/rules-hub/rules-modernization/major-changes/golfs-new-rules-stroke-and-distance.html

Hilary

These rules take affect on January 1, 2019 – Not prior to that date!  There will be additional posts over the next few weeks.

 

Ball at rest accidentally moved

There is no longer a penalty if you accidentally moving your ball, or ball marker, when it is on the putting green.  You must however replace your ball where it was before you moved it.

No longer a penalty for moving your ball during a search. The ball must be replaced, but if you don’t know the exact spot you now place the ball on its estimated spot.  The prior rule had you dropping the ball.

Ball in motion

There is no longer a penalty if your ball in motion accidentally hits you or your equipment, your caddie, the person attending the flagstick or a removed or attended flagstick.

Ball struck more than once

There is no longer a penalty if you accidentally hit your ball more than once during a stroke

Embedded ball

You may take relief for an embedded ball anywhere in the “general area” which is the new term for “through the green” but not in the sand.

Dropping a ball

You must now drop the ball straight down at “knee height”, that is the height of your knee when you are in a standing position.  You must not spin or throw the ball, and it must not hit your body or equipment.  If it does, you must redrop the ball

Last one for today, and probably one of the more surprising ones!

Loose impediments in bunkers

You are now allowed to remove loose impediments in bunkers.  Loose impediments are objects such as stones, loose grass, branches, rocks, or leaves.  You are allowed to touch the sand when doing so but you still cannot test the consistency of the sand.