Golf's New Rules

The USGA and R&A are trying to make rules simpler and increase pace of play for players of all abilities.

How many times have you been on the course and had someone ask for a ruling? If you play in enough events, the chances are pretty good that you see it happen all the time. I think we can all agree that many of golf's current rules have too many options and interpretations that make them confusing. Beginning January 1, 2019, several of those rules have been simplified.

The charts below and to the right outline several key changes that have been made. Fortunately, they are rules that often cause the most confusion when it comes time for an on-course ruling. These changes have evolved over the last three years during which golf's ruling bodies tested variations to see what led to a simpler ruling but had the least impact on the overall game.

Many of the rules are for widespread use, like how a ball is dropped, relaxed rules in hazards, and the time allotted to search for a lost ball. Some rules, like the new stroke and distance rule for out of bounds and lost balls, will only be used as a local rule on a course-by-course basis.

While many have hailed the updated rules as a great step in the right direction, many players are wondering when they'll finally get relief from those nasty fairway divots.