20 MUST KNOW RULES FOR GOLF 2019
​Effective January 01, 2019
1) DROPPING THE BALL - A drop is now to be made from Knee Height (NOT Shoulder Height) RULE 14.3b
2) MEASURE THE AREA TO DROP - In 2019, you will measure the area to drop with the longest club in your bag (except a putter). Remember if you use a shorter club, your longest one still determines the size of the Reference Area. Def. Club Length
3) RELIEF AREA – Drop ball in relief area and play from the relief area. RULE 14.1
4) DROPPING THE BALL ON A LINE - When dropping back-on-the-line, your ball cannot be played from nearer the hole than your chosen reference point. A player should mark the reference point with a tee or other small object (i.e. coin). RULE 17.1d(2), 19.2b, 19.3b
5) TIME TO SEARCH FOR A LOST BALL - The allotted time to search for a lost ball is 3 minutes (NOT 5 minutes). RULE 18.2a
6) ACCIDENTALLY MOVING THE BALL WHILE SEARCHING - If you accidentally move your ball when searching for it, replace it without penalty. RULE 7.1, RULE 7.4
7) DOUBLE HIT - No penalty for an ‘accidental’ double hit. It only counts as one stroke. RULE 10.2b
8) BALL ACCIDENTALLY HITS YOU OR YOUR EQUIPMENT - No penalty if your ball accidentally hits you or your equipment after a stroke. RULE 11.1
9) BALL STRIKES THE FLAG STICK - No penalty if your ball strikes the flag stick when you have chosen to leave it in the hole. RULE 13.2a
10) REPAIRING DAMAGE ON THE GREEN - Spike mark(s) and other shoe damage on the putting green can be repaired. RULE 13.1c
11) BALL or BALL MARKER ACCIDENTALLY MOVED ON PUTTING GREEN - Ball or Ball Marker accidentally moved on putting green – no penalty and ball replaced. RULE 131.d
12) BALL MOVED BY WIND ON PUTTING GREEN - Ball marked, lifted and replaced on putting green is moved by wind to another position – replace ball on the original spot. RULE 13.1d(2)
13) PENALTY AREAS (PA) - replace water hazards, and you can move/remove loose impediments, ground your club and take practice swings in a PA without penalty, just as you can in the general area → provided you do not cause your ball to move. RULE 17.1 – Def. Penalty Area
14) RELIEF FROM PENALTY AREAS - You can’t take relief from a penalty area unless you are 95% certain your ball is in the penalty area. RULE 17.1d
15) LOOSE IMPEDIMENTS IN BUNKERS - In bunkers you can move loose impediments, provided it does not cause your ball to move. RULE 12.2a
16) GROUNDING YOUR CLUB IN BUNKERS - In bunkers you cannot touch the sand with your club in the area right in front of or right behind your ball, during your back swing or in taking practice swings. RULE 12.2b
17) FREE RELIEF FOR EMBADDED BALL - Free relief is allowed if your ball is embedded on the general area (but “embedded” means part of your ball is below the level of the ground). RULE 16.3
18) UNPLAYABLE BALL IN BUNKER - Unplayable ball in bunker – extra option to drop outside the bunker for 2 penalty strokes, back-on-the-line. RULE 19.3b
19) CADDIE OR PARTNER STANDING BEHIND YOU - You cannot have your caddie or your partner standing behind you once you begin taking your stance. RULE 10.2b
20) PACE OF PLAY - Pace of Play – it is recommended a player takes no longer than 40 seconds to make a stroke (and usually you should be able to play more quickly than that) and Ready Golf in stroke play is encouraged. RULE 5.6b