5 Things To Know About The 2019 Golf Rule Changes

The rules of golf are changing from 1st January 2019. Here are five you need to know about...

2019 Golf Rule Changes

The rules of golf are changing from 1st January 2019. Here are five you need to know about...

5 Things To Know About The 2019 Golf Rule Changes

The R&A and USGA have revealed the new golf rules to be implemented on 1st January 2019 and there are some huge changes set to come into play.

The changes have been brought in to modernise the game and speed up play.

Dropping Procedure

Last year it was proposed that golfers could drop from any height above an inch, however this has been changed to knee height. So from 1st Jan 2019, when taking relief golfers will now drop from knee height – no longer shoulder height.

Double-hitting a shot

There will no longer be a penalty for double-hitting a shot.

Golfers will simply count the single stroke they took to strike the ball, rather than counting two shots for hitting the ball twice.

Watch our rundown of 6 of the most important Rules changes to know for 2019

Ball search time

One of the best-known Rules in golf is that you have five minutes to search for your golf ball before it is deemed lost. Well, now that's not the case - from 1st January 2019 you only have three minutes.

Hopefully, this will not only save time directly, but will also encourage golfers to hit provisional balls more often whenever there is any doubt as to the likelihood of them finding their original ball.

Moving the ball

There will be no penalty for accidentally moving your ball on the putting green or when looking for it in the rough. A player is not responsible for causing a ball to move unless it is “virtually certain” that they did.

The flag stick

It no longer has to be attended or removed when putting and there will be no penalty if your ball hits an unattended flagstick in the hole from stroke played on the putting green.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV