Mid-January Update

Our schedule is now completely posted for the 2019 season. We will make a mid-summer Escape to Wisconsin at White Eagle in Hudson on Jul 7th. Then we have our KC/MN Challenge event at TCI in Des Moines (Polk City) on Jul 13th. On Aug 11th we will make our inaugural trip to the Royal Golf Club for the Queen & King Classic. Registration for our local events will open on April 1.

 

You’ve had a couple of weeks to digest the last update so by now I'm sure you're hungry for more so let’s continue the Rules education. Before I start here are a few follow-ups to the Relief info. from the first update.

• Despite all the complaints from the Pros regarding the requirement to drop from “knee height” there is logic behind that change. Dropping from knee high should eliminate most instances of needing to re-drop, speeding up play. You’ll recall that the ball must first hit the course inside the Relief Area and remain within it. Dropping from shoulder height frequently caused a player to have to re-drop because the ball would bounce and roll too much.

• Sticking with the pace of play thought. There is no requirement to actually measure the Relief Area before dropping. It’s fine to make a conservative estimate. If you drop a foot or so behind the Reference Point and from knee high, you should be able to get the ball back in play quickly and play on. Measure only if you are looking to avoid some kind of bad lie or interference (think tree or bush) or you want to drop near the outer edge of the Relief Area or if you think the ball may have gone outside the Relief Area when dropped. A ball is IN the Relief Area unless it is completely out. A ball is not in the Relief Area if any part of the ball is nearer the hole than the Reference Point or any part of the BALL has interference from the condition from which you are taking relief. (Definition of Relief Area, Clarifications of the 2019 Rules of Golf 12/28/19)

• Back-on-the-Line Relief from a Bunker, Penalty Area or Unplayable Ball.
  • You may choose the Reference Point anywhere Back on the Line.
  • It is recommended that you mark the Reference Point you choose to help you in measuring.
  • If you drop without choosing a Reference point then the Reference Point is the spot on the line that is the same distance from the hole as where the ball first hits the course in the Relief Area. So any bounce forward is “nearer the hole” and you must re-drop.
     
• I see that I made an error in the Relief Area chart related to Unplayable Ball by mixing up Lateral and Back on the Line relief. Here is the corrected info.

Relief From (Rule #)	Reference Point	Size in Club-lengths	Limits (not nearer the hole)	Penalty
Unplayable Ball Lateral Relief (19.2c) Back on the line Relief (19.2b)	spot of the original ball Any Point on the line going straight back from the hole through the spot of the original ball	2 1	Any Area but, if more than one Area of the course is within the Relief area the ball must come to rest in same area where the ball first touched the course when dropped in the Relief Area	1 penalty stroke

• When measuring for a Relief Area you may measure directly, across a ditch or hole, through an object (tree, fence, wall etc.) but not through the natural slope of the ground. Follow the slope by laying the club on the ground. (Definition of Relief Area)
   
• The last point on Relief is that if you play a ball that is dropped in the “wrong way” but within the Relief Area the penalty is 1 stroke. If you play a ball from outside the Relief Area you’ve played from a Wrong Place and the penalty is 2 strokes (Rule 14.7) unless you’ve committed a Serious Breach (DQ), i.e. gained a significant advantage, which would have to be corrected before, you play from the next tee or if on the final hole of the round, you turn in your scorecard.

Now let’s talk about some of the other significant changes. I’ve chosen the ones that are basically opposite of what’s been the Rule for many years.

• The Player’s Equipment (Rule 4);
  • The player’s equipment, used to make a stroke, must be conforming to current Equipment Rules to begin the round (or playoff in stroke play) – DQ penalty
  • If a club is damaged during the round the player must not replace it unless the player did not cause the damage.
  • You may continue to play with the damaged club, no matter how it was damaged, or have it repaired/restored using the original grip, shaft and clubhead without unreasonably delaying play.
  • If you deliberately change the performance characteristics of the club by using an adjustable feature you can avoid disqualification by restoring as nearly as possible to it’s original position before making a stroke – (Rule 4.1a(3))
  • There is no penalty for carrying a non-conforming club, only for using it.
  • Ball “unfit for play” has been replaced with “Cut or Cracked”. The ball may be replaced during the play of a hole only if it was Cut or Cracked during the play of that hole. If it was damaged on a previous hole you have to wait until you hole out to replace it (Rule 4.2c(2)) or have an opportunity to substitute it while taking relief.
  • Distance Measuring Devices are allowed in all GC Am Tour events. If you play tournament golf elsewhere make sure there is no local rule prohibiting use.
  • Listening to music or other audio to eliminate distractions or to help with swing tempo is not allowed – 2 stroke penalty for 1st breach, DQ for 2nd breach (Rule 4.3a(4)
     
• Ball Played as it Lies, Ball at Rest Lifted or Moved (Rule 9); “the player will be found to be the cause only when it is known or virtually certain (meaning at least 95%)”
  • No requirement to notify your marker or fellow competitor before you mark & lift, or rotate, a ball to identify it, check for damage or to determine if it’s embedded. The ball may not be cleaned more than needed and must be replaced unless you substitute for a Cut or Cracked ball.
  • Accidentally moved by anyone during search – no penalty, ball must be replaced (Rule 9.4b Exception 2).
  • Player accidentally moves ball or marker on the putting green – no penalty, ball must be replaced (Rule 9.4b Exception 3). We have played this way for a couple of years as a local rule.
  • Moved by Natural Forces on the putting green;
    • after lifted and replaced – no penalty, ball must be replaced (Rule 9.3 Exception).
    • before lifting and replacing, the ball is played as it lies (Rule 9.3). If the wind blows it in the hole it’s your lucky day.
       
• Preparing For and Making the Stroke, Advice & Help, Caddies (Rule 10);
  • You can’t take your stance for the stroke using an object to help in lining up such as laying a club on the ground and you can’t avoid the penalty by backing away and removing the object – 2 stroke penalty (Rule 10.2b(3).
  • No one can help the player with their alignment for the stroke. A caddie must move well off the line of play behind the player’s ball when the player begins taking a stance for a stroke and until the stroke is made – 2 stroke penalty (Rule 10.2b(4)). The player cannot avoid the penalty by backing away except on the putting green.
     
• Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped (Rule 11);
  • Accidentally hits a person, animal, equipment or anything else on the course (other than another ball at rest on the putting green after a putt) – no penalty, ball played as it lies (Rule 11.1b).
  • Club accidentally hits the ball more than once – no penalty, ball played as it lies (Rule 10.1a)
     
• Bunkers (Rule 12);
  • Loose Impediments (Rule 15.1) and Movable Obstructions (Rule 15.2) in a bunker may be touched or removed without penalty (Rule 12.2a ), provided the ball does not move. No penalty if it moves as a result of removing a movable obstruction but if it moves while removing a Loose Impediment  – 1 stroke penalty (Rule 15.1b). In either case the ball is replaced.
  • You may touch sand in the bunker with a hand or a club, for example to remove Loose Impediments or Movable Obstructions (Rule 12.2a), but not to test conditions or when making a practice swing or the backswing for a stroke or right in front of or right behind the ball (Rule 12.2b).
  • There is no penalty for leaning on a club in the sand to rest, away from the ball, or striking the sand in frustration or anger.
     
• Putting Greens (Rule 13);
  • The line of play may be touched including for pointing out a line for putting but the line must not be improved beyond what is allowed for repairing damage. The player may NOT create a pathway or channel to the hole - 2 stroke penalty (Rule 8.1a)
  • Any damage caused by a person or outside influence including spike marks, scrapes or indentations caused by equipment or the flagstick may be repaired. Any repair must be done promptly. Does not include natural surface imperfections, disease, aeration holes or natural wear to the hole.
  • The player may putt leaving the flagstick in the hole or have it attended but they must decide before making the stroke. If they choose to leave it in the hole it must not be removed while the ball is in motion – 2 stroke penalty (Rule 13.2a(3)), unless there is no reasonable possibility the ball will strike the flagstick. There is no penalty if the ball accidentally strikes an attended flagstick after a stroke made on the putting green. Remember the definition of Holed if the ball winds up leaning against the flagstick. If any portion of the ball is below the surface of the putting green it’s Holed.
  • A putted ball which strikes a moving natural object, like a leaf, is played as it lies (Rule 11.1b).
     
• Embedded Ball (Rule 16.3);
  • Relief anywhere in the General Area.
  • A ball is not embedded if it is below the level of the ground as a result of anything other than the previous stroke (Rule 16.3a(2)). So you don’t get relief for a ball that embeds when dropped because how bad can it be when dropped from “knee high” or perhaps you need relief from Temporary Water.
  • I discovered a gotcha in the Rule (and confirmed in the Clarifications of the 2019 Rules of Golf dated 12/28/18) that says you don’t always get relief from an Embedded Ball in the General Area, if “neither the Reference Point nor any part of the course within 1 club-length of the Reference Point is in the General Area, the player is not allowed to take free relief under Rule 16.3b”.
    
    Here is the example cited in the Clarification document;
    
    - a ball is embedded at the very base of the lip, wall or face above a bunker (it isn’t touching the sand)
    - the spot right behind the ball is in the bunker and
    - the General area is not within one club-length of and not nearer the hole from that Reference Point
    
    A similar example would be if the ball was embedded on the far side of a Yellow Penalty Area with no space between the ball and the Yellow line to drop the ball that isn’t nearer the hole.
    
    So you might be asking why can’t I just drop next to the Embedded Ball? Because Rule 16.3b says the Reference Point is right behind where the ball is embedded.
     
• Penalty Areas (Rule 17);
  • You may play the ball as it lies without penalty under the same Rules that apply to the General Area. This means you may remove Loose Impediments (Rule 15.1) and Movable Obstructions (Rule 15.2). You can ground your club, touch the water and take practice swings (I know your head just exploded on this one).
  • There is no option for relief on the opposite margin any longer.
     
• Ball Lost or Out of Bounds and Provisional Ball (Rule 18);
  • Search time is now 3 minutes (Rule 18.2a(1)). We’ve played this way by local rule for the last 2 years.
  • While it is still best to use the word Provisional you may make other statements that make it clear your intent is to play a Provisional ball (Rule 18.3b Interpretation 2) such as;
    • “I’m playing a ball under Rule 18.3” or “I’m going to play another just in case”.
    • DON’T SAY “I’m going to reload” or “I’m going to play another”. They are not clear as to your intention.
  • You may now return to play a Provisional Ball even if you have gone forward to search as long as the 3 minute search period has not expired before making the stroke at the Provisional Ball (Rule 18.3a Interpretation 2).
  • GC Am Tour has not adopted the often mentioned local rule Alternative to Stroke & Distance for Lost Ball or Ball Out of Bounds so you don’t get to drop in the fairway where it was lost or OB.
• Resolving Rules Issues During the Round (Rule 20);
  • If you’ve been playing on the Am Tour for a while, you have heard our Rule 3-3 speech on the 1st tee and probably know it by heart. The new Rule # is 20.1c(3) and has one minor change. Here is my new 1st tee speech. I will print this on the back of your scorecards. The part that changes is underlined.
  • If you are uncertain about the right procedure while playing a hole, you may complete the hole with two balls without penalty:
    1. You must decide to play two balls after the uncertain situation arises and before making a stroke.
    2. You should choose which ball will count if the Rules allow the procedure used for that ball, by announcing that choice to your marker or to another player before making a stroke.
    3. If you do not choose in time, the ball played first is treated as the ball chosen by default.
    4. You must report the facts of the situation to the Committee (that’s me) before returning your scorecard, even if you score the same with both balls. You are disqualified if you fail to do so.

Well that about covers the major changes. You should still spend time reviewing the Rules and Interpretations (need Full Rules version to see Interpretations if viewing on the Rules app.).

Do you have a question about the Rules? Drop me a note or post it on our Facebook page and I'll research it. It's how I learn and I'll share it with everybody.

Stay warm.