THE 9: Golf's New Rules - FAQs

Golf’s New Rules take effect Jan. 1, 2019! To get you ready, join us as we answer 9 of the most frequently asked questions about the upcoming changes!

[sloebone]

Q: So what has changed with water hazards?
A: We now call them something different!

Q: Can you ground your club in a bunker?
A: Yes! But really no.
Q: Isn’t that confusing?
A: No! But really yes.

Q: What’s the new stroke and distance rule?
A: There isn’t one.
Q: There isn’t one?
A: Well there is, but it’s a local rule
Q: Why is the USGA making up local rules?
A: Because we screwed up the search rule and didn’t know how to fix it.
Q: So now you can hit it out of bounds and drop in the fairway? How is that justified?
A: It’s not but you’ll have to take that up with your local committee, it’s their rule not ours. Next question!

Q: What have you done to speed up play?
A: Besides nothing?
Q: Yes.
A: We’ve eliminated the time it took for a ball to fall from shoulder height to knee height. Does that count?
Q: No.
A: We are suggesting that golfers play faster.
Q: Will that make a difference?
A: No.

Q: So when do the revisions to the revisions come out?

[Unplugged]

Question about the alternative to S&D rule.

You stated he stated 2 things.

1. Drop where they lost their ball or went in (penalty strokes?)
2. Drop lateral in the nearest edge of fairway (2 strokes penalty).

How many penalties in option 1?

[tommymcdonnell]

What is the penalty for dropping from the wrong height?

[pdub]

Looking at the USGA youtube profile page their section Rules of Golf Explained, there is this video and then the next one is a year old. The R&A page is a bit better, they have a playlist at least, but it is still only a superficial look, one video is 38 seconds long. As we have got closer to the New Year more and more caveats are appearing. You can now ground your club in the bunker. Ok thats cool. Oh but not in the back swing or practice swing. How many times have you wanted to ground your club in a bunker and it not been for one of those two reasons?!
Golf Monthly put out a video where they trialled the new rules, straight away they had an issue where one person wanted to putt with the flag out, one person with it in all the time, the guy was saying how your going to have to agree with your playing partners what everyone wants. Golfers didnt ask for this situation, did they?