Here Neil Tappin and Jeremy Ellwood look at giving you a refresh on the rules as we come out of lockdown.
Post-Lockdown 2020 Rules Refresher
Before lockdown and the Coronavirus pandemic had taken over our lives, most of us had been getting to grips with all of the new rules that had been introduced in 2019.
Given the changes that were made and how different some rules were, it took quite a while for many to get their heads around them.
Considering many of us haven’t played golf for a few months we figured now was a good time to do a rules refresher.
Bearing that in mind we have looked at the 13 most important changes to the rules of golf that were introduced in 2019.
WATCH: Post-Lockdown 2020 Rules Refresher
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Post-Lockdown 2020 Rules Refresher
1. Embedded ball
In the older rules you could get relief from an embedded ball in the fairway or closely mown areas, but not in the rough. This is no longer the case as you can get relief from an embedded ball in the rough as well as the fairway, but not in a penalty area of a bunker.
2. Loose impediments
According to the new rules a loose impediment is defined as any unattached natural object which could mean twigs, acorns, leaves and even stones. This can be done in a bunker and a penalty area as well.
However be careful because if the impediment is touching your ball and when you remove the impediment, your ball moves, then you will be penalised.
3. Dropping
This was one of the most visible changes to the rules as the dropping height changed from shoulder height, to knee height. If you have played golf for years doing the former, it is easy to return to that habit so remember it is knee height when you are next out on the course.
Something else to note is that when you drop, your ball must stay within the relief area you have measured out.
4. On the green
You can now tap down spike marks and repair animal damage which could be hugely beneficial to you on the green.
5. Damaging a club
In the older rules if you damaged a club yourself through a deliberate act you would not be allowed to use that club again. Whereas now you can carry on using a club for the rest of the round, regardless of how the damage is caused.
For example if you bend your putter slightly, in the new rules you would be allowed to continue using that club. In the old rules you wouldn’t because you had changed the playing characteristics of the club.
6. Flagstick
This is apt for the current time we live in. The flagstick can remain in the hole whilst you are putting on the green.
7. Ball movement on the green
No longer are you penalised if you cause your ball to move on the putting green. For example if you accidentally drop your putter or ball marker on your ball and it moves you are no longer penalised.
You simply have to replace the ball where it was and carry on as usual.
Remember though this is just on the green, if you cause your ball to move elsewhere on the course then it would be a penalty.
8. Ball movement when searching for it
The player used to be penalised if they moved their ball when searching for it whereas any other person in the group wouldn’t have been.
Now though you are no longer penalised and you simply have to replace the ball where it was. If you are not 100% sure where the ball was then you have to estimate to the best of your ability.
9. Identifying your ball
If you cannot see your identification mark, number or brand to identify your ball in thick rough for example, in those circumstances you are allowed to lift the ball to identify it but you must mark its position first.
What has changed is that you no longer have to tell the person you are playing with or your marker that you are going to lift your ball.
10. Taking a drop
Once you have found your nearest point of complete relief, from then on everything is worked out in club lengths which are measured using the longest club you are carrying excluding the putter.
11. When a ball is holed
The rule used to be that the ball was holed when all of it was below the surface of the hole which to some extent is still the general rule today.
However there is a slightly different rule in terms of when the ball is resting against the flagstick.
Now if any part of the ball is below the green, then that is considered holed and this has been brought in because many are now putting with the flagstick in.
12. Lateral hazards
The new rules have done away with opposite side relief when you are in a red penalty area which is to simplify the rule somewhat.
That being said some clubs do have local rules that allow it in specific circumstances.
13. Touching line of play on green
Previously you were not allowed to touch the line of a putt but this is no longer the case provided you are not actively trying to improve your line.
For example if you are simply posting out the line to your partner or repairing a spike mark, you are now allowed to do so.
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