If you think The Rules of Golf book covers every possible Rules situation, you’ve probably never seen The Decisions on the Rules of Golf book. The book contains over 1,200 interpretations on situations that are either not covered by the Rules themselves or require further clarification.
While a joint Rules Committee of the Royal Canadian Golf Association, USGA and R&A review and amend the Rules of Golf every four years, the Decisions on The Rules of Golf are updated bi-annually. The 2006-2007 edition has a whopping 111 changes, including 37 new decisions, 66 revised ones, and eight that have been eliminated.
You would think that the 665-page Decisions on the Rules of Golf book would cover every situation that could possibly occur on a golf course - well, think again. Each year the RCGA, USGA and R&A receive thousands of inquiries on new situations!
Without a doubt, the most significant amendment to The Decisions on the Rules of Golf pertains to the use of distance measuring devices. Decision 14-3/0.5 authorizes a Committee in charge of a competition to permit, by Local Rule, the use of distance measuring devices. Such devices include: laser rangefinders, GPS receivers, and electronic yardage indicators. However, while the Governing bodies have authorized Committees to permit the use of distance measuring devices, the RCGA, USGA and R&A, will not be permitting their use at their National Championships this year.
Continuing a philosophy, which began in 2004, of making the Rules more “user friendly”, a number of new Decisions are based on common sense. The most notable, deals with short putts. Beginning this year, if a player is faced with a short putt and in order to avoid standing on another player’s line, the player stands astride or on an extension of his line behind the ball, there is no penalty.
Who could forget the 2003 British Open Championship at Royal St. Georges, when Jasper Parnevik & Mark Roe failed to exchange scorecards on the first tee and as a result, inadvertently entered their scores on each other’s cards? While the scores for each hole had been correctly entered and signed for, both players were disqualified for entering the scores on the wrong scorecard. Ouch!
Fortunately, a disqualification of this nature won’t occur again. This year’s Decisions book rectifies this issue by permitting a scorecard, which has been correctly completed, to be returned without penalty, regardless of whose name is printed on it.
Stewart Cink’s Waste Area
Another amendment in this year’s Decisions book came from a high profile incident on the PGA Tour. During the fifth playoff hole, at the 2004 MCI Heritage Championship at Harbour Town, Stewart Cink hit his drive into a waste area bordering the 16th fairway. After conferring with the PGA Rules Official, Slugger White, Cink began removing what looked to be sand from behind the ball. In fact, what Cink had removed were finely crushed seashells - loose impediments. Cink then proceeded to hit a 7-iron to within eight feet of the hole, made birdie and defeated challenger, Ted Purdy.
Cink’s actions and/or the PGA’s lack of action drew heavy criticism from golfers worldwide. As a result, Decision 33-8/40 was born. The Decision authorizes a Committee to deem material other than sand (e.g. finely crushed shells) to have the same status as sand or loose soil. Therefore, immovable anywhere except on a putting green. Change is good!
What’s Next?
If you have an unusual Rules situation this season, that isn’t currently included in The Decisions on the Rules of Golf, submit it to the Royal Canadian Golf Association for interpretation. Who knows? It might just be included in the next Rules change.
For more information on these or any Rule of Golf, or to purchase a copy of The Rules of Golf or The Decisions on the Rules of Golf, log on to the RCGA website at www.rcga.org.