Rules review

[BrianM]

Just going off the Lowry incident, and I know there is a few rules experts on here.

How often are the rules of golf appraised and how many personnel are on the committee that do appraise them?
Do they have a lessons learned, where they could amend a rule quite quickly if they deem it is not correct or fit for purpose anymore, (any rule, not just the Lowry incident) a bit like reviewing a procedure or document, you do a job, the procedure isn't quite right, so you amend it to suit....
Obviously it would go through a chain of command before it would be signed off and made official.

 

[Steven Rules]

The Rules are jointly reviewed and updated every four years by the R&A and USGA. It is a complex process that involves consultation and input from a broad range of stakeholders. In between times they publish Clarifications on a quarterly basis if required.

 

[BrianM]

The Rules are jointly reviewed and updated every four years by the R&A and USGA. It is a complex process that involves consultation and input from a broad range of stakeholders. In between times they publish Clarifications on a quarterly basis if required.

4 years is a long time, far to long in my opinion, especially if a rule can be changed by amendment and the amendment can be updated on apps etc until the written version was sorted.

 

[doublebogey7]

4 years is a long time, far to long in my opinion, especially if a rule can be changed by amendment and the amendment can be updated on apps etc until the written version was sorted.

The Rules of Golf have been around for well over 100 years and in that there have been many amendments, in that context 4 years is no time at all. In any case if any change was considered urgent then it could be done by a clarification. The Rule you reference re Lowry certainly doesnt fit into that category.

 

[salfordlad]

4 years is a long time, far to long in my opinion, especially if a rule can be changed by amendment and the amendment can be updated on apps etc until the written version was sorted.

I take a different view - I prefer continuity to too regular change. The average punter doesn't need any more reason to fail to keep up.

I'm aware of two substantive workstreams now underway that are expected to feature in the next version of the Book - a revamping of Rule 8 (Course Played as it is Found) and an expansion of 6C(8) - the section of the Committee Procedures that deals with guiding a Committee on how to handle situations where a player proceeds under an inapplicable rule.

 

[rulefan]

The Rules are being reviewed continuously but are only published every four years. The cost of printing/communication etc to do it more frequently would be prohibitive; to say nothing about we players having to keep up to date with frequent changes.