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When the fully updated and rewritten Rules of Golf went into effect in January 2019, there was a recognition that they would not be perfect and that the intent of certain Rules might need to be clarified. This led to the creation of a living document called the Clarifications of the 2019 Rules of Golf. This document is updated quarterly and allows golf’s governing bodies (the USGA and The R&A) to be more responsive and nimble in governing the game and applying the Rules.
When a Rule needs further clarification for it to apply the way it was intended to, the mechanism of Clarifications allows for quick implementation outside of any changes to the Rules. Information included in the Clarifications document generally will foreshadow likely revisions to the Rules themselves at the time of the next revision, which is currently scheduled for January 2023.
While a few dozen items have been added to the full Clarifications document to support the new Rules that went into effect in 2019, some have been particularly beneficial to the game, including caddie alignment, limitations to green-reading materials and additional messaging from the governing bodies on backstopping.
Model Local Rules Introduced through Clarifications
One of the mechanisms that the Clarifications document will often use to effect change is to introduce Model Local Rules (MLRs). Model Local Rules are never in effect by default but can be implemented at a particular golf course or for a particular competition and have the same status as the rest of the Rules of Golf. They are generally temporary and should always be communicated clearly to players.
One example of a Model Local Rule introduced through Clarifications is MLR G-9, which addresses the ability for a player to replace a broken or significantly damaged golf club. One of the changes to the Rules in 2019 was a simplification to the damaged club Rule which basically says that a player is normally not allowed to replace a club damaged during the round regardless of the cause of the damage. Model Local Rule G-9 modifies this outcome to allow the broken or damaged club to be replaced as long as the damage was caused by the player or their caddie, and it was not a result of abuse. The majority of the time that G-9 applies, it will be in the case of a club broken or damaged while making a stroke. This is especially relevant for high-level competitions where damage is more common, as is the likelihood that a replacement club can be located and put in play.
The set of updates to Clarifications released on Jan. 1, 2021 included six new Clarifications, one of which introduced a new Model Local Rule. This MLR modifies Rule 11.1b, which requires a player to cancel and replay a stroke made on the putting green if the ball in motion hits either an insect or the player or the club he or she used to make the stroke. The Rule itself requires the player to play again without penalty in the rare case of a missed tap-in that lips out, “horseshoes,” and then accidentally strikes the player’s foot or his or her putter. When the new MLR D-7 is put into effect, it changes this outcome so that the stroke would actually count and the ball would be played from where it came to rest. While this MLR does add some additional complexity to the Rule, we believe that the result is more intuitive and aligns with how a player is most likely to proceed should this happen during play.
Clarifications of the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities
Also added with the Jan. 1, 2021 updates to Clarifications were four items related to the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities. This document is a collection of Local Rules that allow players who have specific disabilities to play the game. The goal of the Modified Rules is to allow a player with a disability to play fairly with players who have no disabilities, the same disability, or different types of disabilities. Some of the disabilities that the Modified Rules cover include players who are blind, who are amputees, who use assistive mobility devices, and who have intellectual disabilities.
The Clarifications introduced in January provide additional modifications in an effort to ensure the Modified Rules live up to their intended goal stated above. These modifications include an expanded definition of “replace;” a more appropriate penalty of one stroke when a player who is using canes, crutches or a wheeled mobility device takes unplayable relief from a bunker and drops outside that bunker Back-On-the-Line; and a new Model Local Rule aimed at speeding play by allowing players using wheeled mobility devices the option to play from a limited relief area on each stroke.
The Clarifications of the 2019 Rules of Golf are updated quarterly. Learn more on our Rules Hub.
At the USGA, we believe that knowing how to proceed under the Rules is one of the quickest ways to gain confidence on the course, whether you are a new golfer or have been playing the game for decades. Learn more about the Rules by vising usga.org/Rules, or by contacting the USGA’s Rules Department at rules@usga.org or 908-326-1850.