News • R & A - Important rule changes for 2012 - Richard Souter (R & A Referee) has kindly sent the most important rule changes for 2012
R & A - Important rule changes for 2011
R & A Rules change 2012-15
Whilst there are a number of changes this year (17 new decisions, 22 revised, 90 or so decisions revised due to rule changes and minor decisions, and 30 withdrawn decisions) to the Rule Book and the Decision Book, I just wanted to highlight 3 rules changes that the R&A think are significant.
Rule 6-3a. Time of Starting.
This rule is amended to provide that the penalty for starting late, but within 5 minutes of the starting time stipulated, is reduced from DQ to 2 stroke penalty or loss of the first hole in match play. Previously this penalty reduction could be only introduced as a condition of competition.
Rule 13-4. Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions
Exception 2 to rule 13-4 is amended to permit a player to smooth sand and soil in a hazard at any time, including before playing from that hazard, provided it is for the sole purpose of caring for the course and Rule 13-2 is not breached.
This means, in effect, that if a player was retrieving the rake from a bunker at the far end away from his ball, he can smooth over the footprints created, or any others, provided it does not take place near his ball or on the line of his intended stroke.
Similarly, if the player inadvertently removed some loose impediments whilst doing this tidying up, there would be no penalty. However if the loose impediments, say pine cones were inadvertently moved from his line of play, or indeed the tidying up, enabling the player, for instance, a further option of shot, he would still be in breach of rule 13-2.
This would also apply to a ball lying outside the bunker. If a player tidied up the bunker that was on his line of play rule 13-2 would be breached.
So a certain element of common sense has to apply, but the purpose is to speed up play, and not have silly penalties when no advantage had been gained. The idea of “testing the sand” has been largely disregarded as a result.
Rule 18-2b. Ball moving after address.
A new exception is added that exonerates the player from penalty if his ball moves after it has been addressed when it is known or virtually certain that he did not cause the ball to move. For example, if it is a gust of wind that moves the ball after it has been addressed, there is no penalty and the ball is played from its new position.
This is to get over some unfortunate rulings that have been made when the player has grounded the club on the putting green. The ball has moved which had nothing to do with the player and the rules official had no option but to penalise. This does not, however, give carte blanche to players, whose ball has moved, to escape penalty just because it is windy. It is very important that it is ascertained that the player did not cause the ball to move.
See below “addressing the ball”.
Definitions – Addressing the Ball
The Definition is amended so that a player has addressed the ball simply by grounding the club immediately in front or behind the ball, regardless of whether or not he has taken his stance. Therefore, in addition, the Rules generally no longer provide for a player addressing the ball in a hazard.
There had been an incident in The Open at Birkdale when a player took his stance to the ball on a slope in a bunker. A thoughtful spectator reported the ball might have moved. Prior to 2012 he was deemed to have addressed the ball as soon as his feet were in place, so would have been penalised 2 strokes, but there was deemed to be corroboratory evidence that it had moved, and he escaped penalty.
This news item was posted on 3rd January 2012 by Bill Pringle.
Copyright Gosforth Golf Club.
