Opinion & Analysis

A Closer Look At Decision 18/4

Published

13 years ago

Nov 21, 2013

The United States Golf Association and R&A Rules Ltd.– the rule-making bodies of the PGA Tour — announced on Tuesday that players would no longer be penalized when a ball’s movement could only be detected through the use of enhanced technology. In other words, a player will not be penalized if the movement of the ball was not immediately discernible by the naked eye at the time — regardless of video evidence. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the USGA provided:

“New Decision 18/4 will provide that, where enhanced technological evidence shows that a ball has left its position and come to rest in another location, the ball will not be deemed to have moved if that movement was not reasonably discernible to the naked eye at the time. The Decision ensures that a player is not penalized under Rule 18-2 in circumstances where the fact that the ball had changed location could not reasonably have been seen without the use of enhanced technology.”

Decision 18/4 will take effect on Jan. 1, 2014 and significantly reduces the effect of the “call-in rule enforcement” controversy that garnered headlines for much of the summer. One of the highest profile examples occurred during this year’s BMW Championship when a videographer spotted a potential violation involving Tiger Woods and alerted officials. Officials reviewed replays of video and assessed a two-stroke penalty to Woods after his ball was deemed to have moved as he attempted to clear loose impediments around it.

The USGA and the R&A previously adopted rules to minimize a golfer’s risk of being blindsided by disqualification after he had turned in a scorecard due to a video replay showing a violation. In April 2011, the USGA and R&A adopted Decision 33-7/4.5, which authorized committees to waive the disqualification penalty for a breach of Rule 6-6d in narrow circumstances in which the player could not reasonably have been aware of a breach of the rules that later was identified solely through video evidence.

What Does This Mean?

Until the official rollout of Decision 18/4 in January, golf is the only sport where a viewer is able to challenge a ruling. This begs the old “tree in the forest with no one around” question — rather, if a golfer commits a rules violation and nobody notices, including the golfer and the rule enforcers, is it still a rules violation? Decision 18/4 makes it clear that the answer is now an unequivocal “no.”

Ultimately, Decision 18/4 is good for the game of golf. The game of golf is founded on the inherent cornerstone of self-policing and reporting when it comes to rules enforcement. The majority of the time, players will gladly call an infraction on themselves if they realize they have violated the rules. The ruling in Decision 18/4 ensures that the spirit of the game stays intact and players are not penalized for mistakes made in good faith; mistakes that could not have personally observed but for video review. Decision 18/4 also ensures that a golfer will not be blindsided by incurring a two-stroke penalty for an after-the-fact violation ruling through video review after signing his scorecard.

Furthermore, Decision 18/4 ensures fair and equal enforcement of the Rules of Golf throughout the entire playing field. While all of the players are governed by the same rules, the cameras are not on every golfer all of the time. Thus, the players with cameras surrounding them will be under a higher level of scrutiny and review simply for being themselves. Decision 18/4 signals a return to a more uniform review and enforcement process.

What is the Next Step?

The Rules of Golf are quite complicated and even the best good-faith effort by a golfer to police himself may still result in a violation of the rules. If the USGA truly wants the enforcement of the Rules of Golf to be uniform for the entire playing field, it will need to seriously examine adding more rules officials to events. For example, there needs to be a rules official with every group during major tournaments and playoff events. Not only would this provide players with a neutral outside observer that can provide rules positions and bring any violations immediately to the forefront, but would likely minimize the time needed for a ruling to be made.

Perhaps it would even be prudent for the PGA to put a rules official in the video truck to work in concert with the rules officials. This official could monitor the videos and call out any infractions he sees to the officials on the course.

Decision 18/4 is a step in the right direction to ensure that the Rules of Golf are enforced in a uniform manner. However, the onus is now on the PGA to find new ways ensure better rules enforcement over the entire field.

Related Topics:USGA

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17 Comments

ken

Dec 3, 2013 at 11:43 pm

I agree with the change.
The issue is not the rule in and of itself. Rather the enforcement of the rule using outside influences. Yes, the enhanced video can detect the moved ball. Not the point. The fact is not every player in a tournament field is followed by tv cameras. Some players, save for when they walk past a camera, do not get any tv time.
Until every single player is monitored by some kind of video throughout the entirety of an event, this usage of enhanced video should not have been used in the first place.
Also. In my opinion the various associations governing the game should STOP taking phone calls and electronic messages from viewers.

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Rob

Nov 27, 2013 at 6:52 am

Good rule, needs to be expanded to negate all decisions based on advanced technology and viewer call ins. Nick commented “touring pros don’t feel they need to play by the rules”, “TW saw the ball move”, TW decided to cheat”. These are all Nick’s opinions. The last thing golf needs is people like Nick participating in rules decisions.

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Patrick

Nov 26, 2013 at 4:00 pm

This is a good decision by the rules committee. Gallery and spectators should not be able to enforce penalty. How is a ball moving a millimeter going to affect the next shot anyway…It’s not. Good riddance.

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jc

Nov 25, 2013 at 5:35 pm

that wasn’t a millimeter…it was very plain it moved since the logo moved from west-east to north-south. Not that that would ever bother Tiger. He NEVER sees anything he did as wrong

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Rich

Nov 24, 2013 at 5:15 am

The rule wouldnt have been changed if it hadn’t happened to one TW this year.

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RG

Nov 22, 2013 at 11:58 pm

Its about time they realized that it is unfair to penalize a player for something that is outside the players ability to detect. Now golfs ruling bodies need to realize that technology could be used to help instead of just hurt a player. Intent plays a part in every governing system on the planet, but not golf. Lets use tech to see if a guy meant to infringe or accidentally did so. Stop with all the hoopla over millimeters and grazing sand on the backswing and lets play golf. Golf is the only game in the world where its greatest championship can be taken away from a champion if that champion does not do good arithmetic. Its silly stupid and it needs to stop.

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Hunterdog

Nov 21, 2013 at 7:20 pm

The decision only applies when the movement of the ball could not reasonably be detected without enhanced video; in other words no penalty if player could not know that ball moved. No big deal.

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kloyd0306

Nov 21, 2013 at 7:11 pm

Viewers being able to “call in” a possible infraction needs to cease. Such an availability penalizes higher profile players disproportionately. Such rulings and decisions need to be confined to the players and the officials – no one else.

Reply Report comment
- Nick
  
  Nov 24, 2013 at 4:10 pm
  
  Yes I agree that it is unfair that they are subjected to more scrutiny since they are on TV more. They also have more sponsors and more money because they are better and more popular players. So I feel that the exposure is point is moot. The real issue is why touring PROS don’t feel they need to play by the rules. If the ball moves because of you, there is no grey area. TW was looking right at the ball and tried to move the stick to help his lie. The ball moved he saw it and decided to CHEAT the game. Maybe if he didn’t hit his ball into the crap he would not need to cry to the commish.
  
  Reply Report comment
Bout time

Nov 21, 2013 at 4:21 pm

Take that Chamblee!!!

Reply Report comment
- ken
  
  Dec 3, 2013 at 11:47 pm
  
  Just a minute…Tour players don’t feel they should have to play by the rules?
  From where did you get this information?
  Nick, unless you can provide proof of that accusation being true, I suggest you delete your post and refrain form making such baseless charges.
  
  Reply Report comment
Dan

Nov 21, 2013 at 3:38 pm

I like the new rule. Currently, higher profile players are at a disadvantage for incidents similar to the Tiger “wobble” at the BMW. Those guys are going to have many more cameras rolling on them. The “call in” rule should only have been implemented if every shot of every player was captured with the same level of detail.

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yo!2

Nov 21, 2013 at 2:05 pm

what about the stick that was moved out of the way to get a clear shot that caused the ball to move a millimeter?

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yo!

Nov 21, 2013 at 1:03 pm

It’s a good rule. A ball moving a millimeter isn’t going to make a difference.

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- Jack
  
  Nov 21, 2013 at 10:41 pm
  
  Yeah, there needs to be a material difference clause in there. You moved your ball a millimeter? It’s ok no violation since it doesn’t make a difference, and you didn’t intend to do it. You move the ball 5 inches back? Yeah you’re DQed. Tamping a spike mark? Ouch.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - ken
    
    Dec 3, 2013 at 11:50 pm
    
    A player does not suffer disqualification for moving his ball or causing it to move at address. He is disqualified only if he does not penalize himself the appropriate number of strokes per the rule AND signs his scorecard without making the correction.
    
    Reply Report comment
David Sefton

Nov 21, 2013 at 12:52 pm

TV companies will not stop showing enhanced coverage of these incidents. So, persistent offenders with ‘poor naked eye vision’ will soon be highlighted.

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Opinion & Analysis

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