What’s in the 2019 Rules of Golf?
It’s all go for January after the R&A and USGA published their finalised Rules of Golf. So what’s coming in? Steve Carroll outlines the changes
A year after they were first unveiled, and following wide consultation with thousands of golfers and organisations, the R&A and USGA have unveiled the finalised Rules of Golf that will come into force in January 2019.
Many are unchanged from the major proposals that were first unveiled in 2017 but, just in case you’ve forgotten, let’s take a look at what we’ll all now be following from the first day of next year…
What’s in the 2019 Rules of Golf?
When the ball accidentally moves…
They could call this the DJ rule but there will no longer be a penalty for accidentally moving a ball on the putting green or in searching for a ball. A player is not be responsible for causing a ball to move unless it is “virtually certain” that he or she did so.
In a bunker…
There’s no penalty for removing loose impediments or for “generally” touching the sand with a hand or club. Don’t ground the club right next to the ball, though. For an unplayable ball in the sand, you’ll be able to play from outside the bunker with a two-stroke penalty.
Penalty areas…
There will be no penalty for touching the ground, or the water, in a penalty area and the same applies to lifting loose impediments. Red and yellow-marked areas will be expanded.
Pace of Play…
The time allowed for looking for a lost ball will be reduced from five to three minutes. Ready Golf – so playing when you’re ready and it’s safe – will be positively encouraged in strokeplay. It will be recommended that a shot takes no more than 40 seconds.
2019 Rules of Golf: On the green…
Want to putt with the flagstick still in? Go for it. If a ball played from the green hits an unattended flagstick in the hole, it’s not a penalty and players may putt without having the flag attended or removed.
You’ll also be able to repair spike marks, other damage made by shoes, animal damage and any other damage on the putting green. You’ll also be able to touch the line of a putt.
Player integrity…
You’ll no longer need to announce when lifting a ball to identify it or check that it is damaged. “Reasonable judgement” will be allowed to measure a spot, point, line, area or distance – even if it is later found to be wrong with video evidence.
2019 Rules of Golf: Dropping procedures…
The proposed change last year would have allowed a player to drop from any height but this has now been altered. Golfers will now drop from knee height when taking relief.
Measuring when taking relief…
One of the more unpopular changes in the proposed rules was changing club lengths to take relief from a 20-inch or 80-inch standard measurement.
Now a golfer’s relief area will be measured by using the longest club in their bag for a one or two club length relief, depending on the situation.
Double hits…
If you hit the ball more than once in the course of a stroke, you used to get penalised. Not from 2019. The one-stroke penalty that was included in the proposed Rules has been dropped. Golfers will just count the one stroke they made.
2019 Rules of Golf: Alternative to stroke and distance…
This is a local rule, which will permit committees to give golfers the option of dropping “the ball in the vicinity of where the ball is lost or out of bounds (including the nearest fairway area), under a two-stroke penalty”.
It’s designed to try and speed up play when a player would normally be required to go back under stroke and distance. It won’t apply to professional and elite level competitions.
A digital text-based version of the Rules is already available on the R&A website but a Player’s Edition of the Rules, the full edition and an Official Guide to the Rules of Golf, which replaces the Decisions book, will be published in September.
The Rules of Golf as they currently stand will be in force for all of this season’s competitions and events.
Got a question for our expert?
Despite the changes to the Rules of Golf in 2019 and 2023, there are still some that leave us scratching our heads. I’ll try to help by featuring the best of your queries in this column.
What do you think about the 2019 Rules of Golf? Let me know by leaving a comment on X.
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
