USGA To Test New Rules Of Golf At Rumson Member Golf Day
New Jersey State Golf Association members who are participating in the Member Golf Day at Rumson Country Club on Tuesday (June 27) will have a unique opportunity to discuss their experiences of the event with members of USGA staff.
That’s because the event will be played under the New Rules of Golf and USGA representatives will be on hand to take feedback.
The newly proposed USGA rules, to go into effect in 2019, are a number of player-friendly rules.
For only the fifth time in the history of the game the governing bodies announced a major change to the Rules of Golf. On March 1, the USGA and R&A unveiled a modernization project that will make the rules easier to read, understand and apply.
“The proposed changes are true to the principles of the game: play the golf course as you find it and play the ball as it lies. We just looked at every rule and decided how we could make it simpler,” said USGA executive director Mike Davis.
The project is five years in the making. A joint committee of USGA and R&A officials considered everything in the attempt to bring simplicity to a complex set of rules. The objectives included making the rules easier to understand and apply; balance consistency, simplicity and fairness; and reinforce the game’s longstanding principles and character.
“We’re very happy the NJSGA has agreed to provide the forum at Rumson. We want people to be excited about this. It’s definitely the first time the USGA is partnering with a State or Regional Golf Association to do an event like this. This is a good chance to collaborate together. We will use this as an opportunity to get feedback from golfers who care about the game and get their thought on what the changes will have on the game,” said Joe Foley, USGA Manager, rules Outreach and Programming.
“We want to have open conversation between the USGA and State and Regional Golf Associations, and where better to do it to get golfers thoughts than at a NJSGA Member Golf Day,” Foley said.
“We’ll be observing the action on the course, and after play, we’ll have a chance to spend some time with the golfers, and find out what they learned and what they liked or didn’t like,” Foley said.
USGA staff will be at Rumson C.C. as observers.
“We’ll be taking all of those thoughts down and sharing them with our committee. Feedback from NJSGA members will go to people in those committees and we’ll talk about what changes need to be made. New Jersey golfers will have a direct channel to the process itself,” Foley said.
A look at the New Rules of Golf to be in Effect at Rumson:
Putting Green
Leaving the flagstick in the hole. No penalty if your ball hits the unattended flagstick in the hole, including when you play your ball from the putting green. If your ball deflects off the flagstick and is not holed, you must play it as it lies.
Repairing damage. You may repair all damage on the putting green (including spike marks and other shoe damage) other than natural imperfections or aeration holes.
Touching your line of putt. No penalty for merely touching your line of putt, but you must not improve your line of putt beyond the allowed repair.
Your ball or ball-marker moves. No penalty if you (or your opponent in match play) accidentally move your ball or ball-marker on the putting green. You must replace your ball or ball-marker on the original spot (which, if you don’t know it, you must estimate).
Your ball moves for any reason after you had lifted and replaced it. If your ball on the putting green is moved by anyone or anything (including by the wind) after you already had lifted and replaced it, you must replace your ball on its original spot.
Bunkers
Moving loose impediments. When your ball is in a bunker, you may move loose impediments in the bunker.
Touching the sand. When your ball is in a bunker, no penalty for touching the sand in the bunker with your hand, club or other object, except:
You must not deliberately touch the sand with your hand or a club, rake or other object to test the bunker’s condition, and
You must not touch the sand with your club right behind or in front of your ball, in making your backswing for your stroke or in making a practice swing.
Water Hazards (to be known as Penalty Areas)
Moving loose impediments and touching the ground. When your ball is in a water hazard, you may move loose impediments and touch the water or the ground in the water hazard with your hand or club (such as in grounding your club or taking practice swings).
