Category: Rules of Golf

As promised, more exciting Rules changes!

Hilary

New! Decisions on the Rules of Golf 2014 – 2015
Posted: 19 Nov 2013 06:44 AM PST

The front cover of The R&A’s Decisions book 2014-2015

Today, 19th November 2013, the USGA and the R&A jointly announced the publication of the revised ‘Decisions on the Rules of Golf 2014-2015’, which contains 3 new, 59 revised, 1 renumbered, and 24 withdrawn Decisions. Most readers will know that whilst the Rules of Golf are reviewed every four years, amendments to the 1,200+ Decisions are made on a two-yearly cycle. Let me clarify that there will be no changes to the Rules for another two years; the Decisions are published to help golfers better understand how the Rules are to be applied and interpreted. They are particularly useful to those of you who like to provide accurate answers to questions on the Rules from those that you play with, or fellow Club or Society members, and I strongly recommend that you purchase this new edition. You can purchase the R&A publication (all countries other than US and Mexico) by clicking on this link and then on the ‘Buy Now’ button underneath the 2014-2015 Decisions book image (price £10.30). It will cost you exactly the same as on the main Amazon site and, if you use this link, I will make a small commission on anything that you purchase there, which helps me to defray my costs. Surprisingly, the US version of the Decisions book does not yet appear to be available, but I will upload a link on the same page as soon as it is.

This statement is taken directly from the R&A web site;

“Among the changes for 2014-2015, four decisions are particularly noteworthy:

• New Decision 14-3/18 confirms that players can access reports on weather conditions on a smartphone during a round without breaching the Rules. Importantly, this new Decision also clarifies that players are permitted to access information on the threat of an impending storm in order to protect their own safety.
• New Decision 18/4 provides that, where enhanced technological evidence (e.g. HDTV, digital recording or online visual media, etc.) shows that a ball has left its position and come to rest in another location, the ball will not be deemed to have moved if that movement was not reasonably discernible to the naked eye at the time. The R&A and the USGA have issued a Joint Statement on the Use of Video and other Visual Evidence* to further explain the governing bodies’ position on the use of this technology.
• Revised Decision 25-2/0.5 helps to clarify when a golf ball is considered to be embedded in the ground through the use of illustrations.
• Revised Decision 27-2a/1.5 allows a player to go forward up to approximately 50 yards without forfeiting his or her right to go back and play a provisional ball.”

*Click here for the statement on ‘Use of Video and Visual Evidence’.

I have not yet had a chance to study the amendments but the one that stands out is the new Decision 18/4, as a result of which players will not be penalized for causing their ball to move if it was not reasonably discernible to the naked eye. Certainly, this Decision goes some way to appeasing those that complain vociferously about retrospective penalties being applied to players following calls from those watching the action on high definition television monitors.

Ladies, interesting new Rules change below. more to come.

Hilary

LONDON, Nov 19 (Reuters) – Eighty seven changes have been made to the 2013-14 edition of the “Decisions on the Rules of Golf” manual but one in particular will be of interest to world number one Tiger Woods.

New Decision 18/4, agreed by the Royal and Ancient and the United States Golf Association (USGA), aims to clarify when a ball has been inadvertently moved by a player – a scenario that left Woods fuming at the BMW Championship in September.

Woods suffered a two-stroke penalty at the first hole in his second round after he tried to remove a twig from behind his ball.

The American 14-times major winner insisted his ball had merely “oscillated” although detailed video footage of the incident suggested the ball had rolled slightly away from its original resting place.

However, under new guidelines announced on Tuesday, Woods would probably have escaped punishment.

“New Decision 18/4 provides that, where enhanced technological evidence (e.g. HDTV, digital recording or online visual media, etc.) shows that a ball has left its position and come to rest in another location, the ball will not be deemed to have moved if that movement was not reasonably discernible to the naked eye at the time,” the new rule states.

A joint statement from the R&A and USGA explained the decision, saying it was made to counter the increased level of scrutiny players are under at elite tournaments owing to the rapid developments in video technology.

“This has led to an increasing number of inquiries to officials from television viewers and others about whether a breach of the Rules has occurred, sometimes resulting in breaches of the Rules being identified (and penalties being applied) after the incident itself has occurred.

“Occasionally, the identification of the breach has been after the player has returned his or her scorecard, which has therefore resulted in disqualification under Rule 6-6d.

“These developments have generated considerable discussion concerning whether, how and when such video evidence should be used.”

Woods also fell foul of rules officials at the Masters after taking an illegal drop during the second round when his wedge approach at the 15th struck the flagstick before ricocheting backwards off the green and down the slope into Rae’s Creek.

In another change, players will now be allowed to access weather conditions on smatphones during their round without breaching Rules. (Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Justin Palmer)

A player’s ball lies on the apron of the putting green and there is a sprinkler head on their intended line of putt. May they take relief from the sprinkler head?

It is common for Committees and golf courses to introduce a Local Rule when there are sprinkler heads close to the putting green. This is the specimen Local Rule provided in Appendix l of the Rules book;

“Relief from interference by an immovable obstruction may be taken under Rule 24-2. In addition, if a ball lies off the putting green but not in a hazard and an immovable obstruction on or within two club-lengths of the putting green and within two club-lengths of the ball intervenes on the line of play between the ball and the hole; the player may take relief as follows:

The ball must be lifted and dropped at the nearest point to where the ball lay that (a) is not nearer the hole, (b) avoids intervention and (c) is not in a hazard or on a putting green. The ball may be cleaned when lifted.”

So ladies now we have seen the picture, read the local Rule what does this means to us and what do we do?

1. We see from the picture that the sprinkler head is directly on our line of putt and the ball is within two club lengths of the sprinkler head. This means that we can, if we want, use the local Rule that Discovery Bay is putting on our score card.

2. You may drop your ball within one club-length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole, the ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule but how do we do this?

3. a) First do not pick up your ball until you are SURE you want to take relief. Once you have pick it up you cannot change your mind.

b) Determining the nearest point of relief will depend on whether you are right or left-handed
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c) You should take your putter; take an address position where there is no interference from the sprinkler head. The nearest point of relief is where the club head is grounded and is the closest spot in play, no nearer the hole, free from the obstruction. At this point, the specific spot on the course has been determined.

d) You should mark this spot with a tee and you may now get the longest club out of your bag to measure the one club length. Mark the club length with a second tee.

e) If you are sure you want to proceed pick up your ball, and drop it within that club length you have marked Once you drop the ball and the ball hits the course within the measured one club length and does not move closer to the hole, or does not roll more than two club lengths your ball is in play.

f) If the ball rolls closer to the hole, more than two club lengths or there is still interference you have to do it all over again. After two attempts you may place the ball where it first hit the course as long as it is within the club length you measured and not closer to the hole.

You may not choose the nicest point of relief; you may only drop within a club-length of the nearest point of relief, not nearer the hole. For this reason you should always determine where the nearest point is before you lift your ball, in case it happens to be in a position that is even more unfavorable than your current lie.

Watching this video should help

I hope this helps you putt happy
Hilary