New 2019 rules

that as the rule makers surley they are responsible in making sure the rules, especially those on slow play, which seems to be a major worry by some, are upheld .

They may make the rules but they are not responsible for policing them. They only run a feww competitions themselves.
How do you suggest they police club competitions? How do they control pace of play?
 
The R&A and USGA are the rule makers and will consult with the professional tours. However, the only professional events that the R&A and USGA oversee are their respective Open Champs. The vast majority of professional golf is run by the tours and it is the tours' responsibility to speed up play. The European Tour are doing bits and pieces. The US PGATour don't seem to be overly concerned with pace of play at all.
You're being far too kind - they are not concerned about it or its impact on the golfers who are watching.
 
Some issues occur to me:

At what time can I drop a ball on the fairway if the original is likely to be lost? Must I search for the full 3 mins first?

If not, suppose I've hit one into a large patch of gorse and know that if I find it, even 2 penalty drops won't get me out of it - can I immediately choose to drop on the fairway, and if so does the new ball become the one in play straight away?

Suppose I have done so in a match, can my opponent carry on searching for 3 mins and if he finds my original ball is it no longer lost?
 
Some issues occur to me:

At what time can I drop a ball on the fairway if the original is likely to be lost? Must I search for the full 3 mins first?

If not, suppose I've hit one into a large patch of gorse and know that if I find it, even 2 penalty drops won't get me out of it - can I immediately choose to drop on the fairway, and if so does the new ball become the one in play straight away?

Suppose I have done so in a match, can my opponent carry on searching for 3 mins and if he finds my original ball is it no longer lost?
From 6.3b Substitution of Another Ball While Playing Hole
(2) Substituted Ball Becomes Ball in Play.


The player must not play the original ball even if it is found on the course before the end of the three-minute search time (see Rule 18.2a(1)).
 
Has anyone seen plans for rolling out education on the rules or any material that can be used within clubs?
Three important publications, to be distributed this fall, will help players as well as officials and provide interpretation and guidance in how the Rules are applied:

  • The Player’s Edition of the Rules of Golf: An abridged, user-friendly set of the Rules with shorter sentences, commonly used phrases, and diagrams. Written in the “second person,” The Player’s Edition is intended to be the primary publication for golfers.
  • The Rules of Golf: The full edition of the Rules will be written in the third person and include illustrations. It is intended to be a more thorough version of the revised Rules.
  • The Official Guide to the Rules of Golf: This “guidebook” replaces the Decisions book and will contain information to best support committees and officials. It includes interpretations of the Rules, Committee procedures (available Local Rules and information on establishing the terms of the competition), and the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities. It is a comprehensive resource document intended as a supplementary publication.

More than 30 “how-to-apply” videos and a summary of the principal changes are now available at usga.org/rules. Additional educational tools will be released in September.
 
I suspect that apart from the above, national bodies may run some seminars for referees and possibly clubs but most of the education will be down to clubs and players themselves.
 
I spent a good few hours delving into the specifics of each of these changes and in general I'm a fan, but one area not really discussed as yet concerns me. Decisions 34-3/10 coming into the new rules as Rule 1.3b (2).

I see a lot of potential abuse of this, yes pure out cheating, whilst the player claims I was using my reasonable judgement and yes now you've explained the error to me, I'm sorry - but still no penalty. For those who wont look it up -

(2) Accepting Player’s “Reasonable Judgment” in Determining a Location When Applying the Rules.
• Many Rules require a player to determine a spot, point, line, area or other location under the Rules, such as:
 Estimating where a ball last crossed the edge of a penalty area,
 Estimating or measuring when dropping or placing a ball in taking relief, or
 Replacing a ball on its original spot (whether the spot is known or estimated).
• Such determinations about location need to be made promptly and with care but often cannot be precise.
• So long as the player does what can be reasonably expected under the circumstances to make an accurate determination, the player’s reasonable judgment will be accepted even if, after the stroke is made, the determination is shown to be wrong by video evidence or other information.
• If a player becomes aware of a wrong determination before the stroke is made, it must be corrected (see Rule 14.5).
 
I suspect that apart from the above, national bodies may run some seminars for referees and possibly clubs but most of the education will be down to clubs and players themselves.

We have been advised that England Golf will be running 1 day seminars for County Rules officials later in the year. They will also be tagging a rules session on to the county handicap workshops scheduled for October/November.
 
I think I'm still in favour of this as it will speed up play, but in practice I am unclear about some things:

:confused: Lost Ball / OOB on a par 3 (or a short par 4) with the ball travelling essentially to one side of the green. The drop is to the fairway no closer to the hole, so could be on the apron, right? But.... say I've assumed it's lost more or less in line with the flag, it would mean estimating the distance from the hole to the ball, imagining drawing an arc with the hole as the centre point and going from the ball to towards the tee box (can't come to the apron as this is closer to the hole). However this may still leave me on the apron or at worst on the fairway in front of the green chipping on.

:confused: Blind doglegs - say dogleg right at 200 yards, trees to the right the whole length of the whole, decent strike but line all wrong, normal shot 250 yards. So I've cleared the trees initially, crossing the tree line at 150 yards, hear a clatter somewhere, look for it but can't find it. Using the new rule, where would I drop? I know the line of the ball where it crossed so it's not lost at 150 yards; I heard a clatter so it's not gone 250 yards. But, do I just guess it's potential location, then come out to the fairway as described? This would be no closer to the hole, but after the dogleg giving me my 4th shot to the green OR is it where it crossed the tree line initially, giving me my 4th shot before the dogleg and no shot at the green?

The 2 scenarios could certainly be a cause of argument in my 4 ball I think!
 
I spent a good few hours delving into the specifics of each of these changes and in general I'm a fan, but one area not really discussed as yet concerns me. Decisions 34-3/10 coming into the new rules as Rule 1.3b (2).

I see a lot of potential abuse of this, yes pure out cheating, whilst the player claims I was using my reasonable judgement and yes now you've explained the error to me, I'm sorry - but still no penalty. For those who wont look it up -

(2) Accepting Player’s “Reasonable Judgment” in Determining a Location When Applying the Rules.
• Many Rules require a player to determine a spot, point, line, area or other location under the Rules, such as:
 Estimating where a ball last crossed the edge of a penalty area,
 Estimating or measuring when dropping or placing a ball in taking relief, or
 Replacing a ball on its original spot (whether the spot is known or estimated).
• Such determinations about location need to be made promptly and with care but often cannot be precise.
• So long as the player does what can be reasonably expected under the circumstances to make an accurate determination, the player’s reasonable judgment will be accepted even if, after the stroke is made, the determination is shown to be wrong by video evidence or other information.
• If a player becomes aware of a wrong determination before the stroke is made, it must be corrected (see Rule 14.5).

I'm assuming "known or virtually certain" will continue to apply as at present. This could lead to even more confusion than at present.
 
I suspect that apart from the above, national bodies may run some seminars for referees and possibly clubs but most of the education will be down to clubs and players themselves.

This is correct, my friend/contact will be part of a group running seminars for level 3 referees.
 
But, do I just guess it's potential location,

Two Estimated Reference Points:
a. Ball Reference Point: The point where the original ball:

  • Is estimated to have come to rest on the course, or
  • Last crossed the edge of the course boundary to go out of bounds.
 
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Isn't it currently that you can't declare a ball lost in gur unless you actually witnessed it entering, what is the future ruling ?
 
Isn't it currently that you can't declare a ball lost in gur unless you actually witnessed it entering, what is the future ruling ?
Relief for Ball Not Found but in or on Abnormal Course Condition
If a player’s ball has not been found and it is known or virtually certain that the ball came to rest in or on an abnormal course condition on the course, the player may ........
 
Relief for Ball Not Found but in or on Abnormal Course Condition
If a player’s ball has not been found and it is known or virtually certain that the ball came to rest in or on an abnormal course condition on the course, the player may ........


Well there you have it...we have a gur area out of sight at the bottom of our 16th fairway, I've lost two in there over the Winter but obviously can't see it entering, is that ruling saying I could've claimed relief ??
 
Maybe i am and maybe its "adult?" responses like this is the reason more juniors dont take up the game .
U could have just said u didnt know the answer..
Have a nice day .(american 12yr old )
 
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