Opinion & Analysis
Are the 2019 Rules of Golf making the game easier? Here are the old, new and removed penalties
It seems the old-school golfers among us are a bit upset about the new rules for 2019, with some claiming they will make the game easier.
Yes, some penalties have been removed or lessened, but most penalties are still there. And, in fact, quite a few new penalties have been added! Let me stress, that the three lists below are not at all exhaustive. But I find that they give you a realistic insight in the 2019 Rules.
New penalties: These are situations, where you are not penalized under the current rules, but where you will be penalized in 2019
1. If you putt on the putting green with your ball marker still on the ground, in 2019 you incur a one stroke penalty.
2. A golf club can make a “code of conduct,” and you can be penalized (e.g. one or two penalty strokes) for not complying with that. E.g. for not letting through, not raking bunkers etc.
3. When your ball is in a bunker, you get a new option: To take a two-stroke penalty and drop on a “straight line” outside the bunker. I will describe this option in more detail in another article.
4. A club can apply two new local rules, where you can drop closer to the hole (than where you played last) with a two-stroke penalty when your ball is out of bounds or when it is lost (outside a penalty area).
5. You are no longer allowed to substitute a ball for the sole reason that it is out of shape. If you do so, you incur two penalty strokes in stroke play (or lost hole in match play).
6. You are no longer allowed to align your feet with a club e.g. on the fairway (e.g. to have them point in the exact direction you want). If you do so, you incur two penalty strokes in stroke play (or lost hole in match play).
7. You are no longer allowed to mark the ball in front of the ball. If you do so and lift the ball, you will incur a one stroke penalty.
8. You are only allowed to substitute a damaged ball if you are sure the damage happened on the hole you are playing. If you are not sure when it happened, you are not allowed to substitute the ball. If you do so, you incur two penalty strokes in stroke play (or lost hole in match play). You are of course allowed to substitute a ball between holes or when taking relief.
“Old penalties”: These are situations, where you are penalized today and will be penalized in 2019
1. In a bunker: you touch the sand in your backswing.
2. In a bunker: you ground the club just behind the ball.
3. In a bunker: you touch the sand in a practice swing.
4. When you accidentally move your ball in play (with exceptions).
5. When you deem your ball unplayable.
6. When you take relief from water hazards (in 2019: “penalty areas”).
7. When you make practice strokes during play of a hole (with exceptions).
8. When you are playing from a wrong place.
9. When you are playing a stroke to a wrong ball.
10. When you give (or ask for) advice, e.g. club selection.
11. When you improve a “forbidden area,” e.g. by breaking a branch in the area of your intended swing.
12. When you bring more than 14 clubs.
13. When you drop the ball in a wrong way and play it.
Penalties removed: These are situations where you are penalized today, but not in 2019
1. When you make a “double stroke.” One penalty stroke today–no penalty in 2019.
2. When you hole your ball from the putting green with the flagstick in the hole. Two penalty strokes (stroke
play) or lost hole (match play) today–no penalty in 2019.
3. When you remove the flagstick from the hole and place it on the ground… and then strike it in your stroke.
Two penalty strokes (stroke play) or lost hole (match play) today–no penalty in 2019.
4. When your ball is in a bunker, and you ground your club in the bunker somewhere other than in front of or
behind the ball. Two penalty strokes (stroke play) or lost hole (match play) today–no penalty in 2019.
5. When your ball is in a bunker, and your club accidentally touches the sand elsewhere in the bunker. Two penalty strokes (stroke play) or lost hole (match play) today–no penalty in 2019.
6. When your ball is in a water hazard (“penalty area” in 2019) and you want to play it. You touch the water with your club in addressing the ball. Two penalty strokes (stroke play) or lost hole (match play) today –no penalty in 2019.
7. When your ball is in a water hazard (penalty area) or a bunker, and you remove/touch a loose impediment in the water hazard/bunker. Two penalty strokes (stroke play) or lost hole (match play) today–no penalty in 2019.
8. When you accidentally strike and moves your ball during a search for it (within the time limit) in the rough. One penalty stroke today–no penalty in 2019.
9. When you substitute your ball when taking relief without penalty (e.g. when taking relief from a bench or from a ground under repair). Two penalty strokes (stroke play) or lost hole (match play) today –no penalty in 2019.
My impression is that many (both players and golf clubs) underestimate the time and energy needed to learn the 2019 Rules. Let me end this article by encouraging you to read (and learn) them soon!
This past Monday, I played in the U.S. Amateur local qualifier at Rock Creek Country Club in Portland, Oregon. A full tee sheet from 7:30 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., the top 11 scores would make it to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying.
I teed off at 10:48 a.m.. With the 7:30 am tee time, you can get a feel for the leaders’ pace, and they were off and running on the challenging setup at Rock Creek.
View this post on Instagram
Getting to the highlight of the round on the par five 17th, a drive up the left side and 212 yards left to the front hole location. I took out a 5-iron with plans of middle of the green. The ball ended up 8 feet left of the hole, pin high. A slight downhill putt dropped in for an eagle 3 on the 17th. With the cut line looking to be anywhere from -2 to even par. This was the boost I had been waiting for all day.
With making par from the trees on 18, it was time to wait for a potential playoff with a posted score of one under par 71.
Three hours later, it was playoff time. 8 players for 6 spots. I made par on the playoff hole, which was good enough to advance to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying in July. USGA qualifiers sure deliver on all of the emotions in golf!
Club Junkie
Building my 2026 gamer WITB: Ranking the contenders and new putter projects – Club Junkie Podcast
The annual What’s In The Bag build is underway, and on this episode of Club Junkie, Brian breaks down the clubs currently leading the race for a spot in his 2026 gamer setup. From drivers and fairway woods to irons, wedges, and shafts, he ranks the equipment that’s performing best and explains what’s separating the front runners from the rest of the field.
Brian also heads into the workshop to discuss several putter projects currently on the bench. From head options and shaft choices to build ideas and testing plans, he shares what he’s working on and which putters could become serious contenders for the bag this season.
If you’re a gear junkie who loves equipment testing, club building, and the never-ending pursuit of the perfect setup, this episode is for you.
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Club Junkie
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I also dive into the new TaylorMade Spider ZT Max putter that was recently spotted and discuss the growing zero torque putter trend. Plus, there is a closer look at the new Project X Titan Yellow shaft showing up on the PGA Tour and what makes it different from other profiles currently out there.
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ChipNRun
Jan 4, 2019 at 1:53 pm
A recurring argument for altering the OB rule has to do with the explosion of upscale housing development golf courses. OBs coincide with “fairway frontage” for homes.
Courses built prior to the 1960s tended to be on a rectangular plot of land. You might face OB on six or seven holes. The housing development courses changes all that, as the developers wanted as many homes as possible to have “fairway frontage” in their front or back yards. That means OB everywhere!
My current home course is such a boxed-in development layout. In all, 14 holes have OB left and hazard right. Two other holes have OB on one side, and one of the only two “clean” holes has a pond in front of the green.
Two years ago, some neighboring courses turned most of their OB zones into hazard areas. The idea was to lessen slow play by people having to return to the tee box and rehit drives.
Tiger Noods
Dec 5, 2018 at 12:41 am
You’re worried about the time it takes to learn them, but you didn’t take the time to proofread your article. Sheesh.
Code
Dec 2, 2018 at 3:44 pm
Everyvody’s worried about pace of play yet they let players take off their clothes down to their underwear just so they don’t get them dirty or wet on those shots.
And then yet clubs supposedly enforce dress code!
What gives?
It should be in the Rules for 2020 that at no time clothing may be removed to the underwear for any particular shot.
Otherwise why have a dress code
Tigergor
Dec 3, 2018 at 6:03 am
Or, get rid of dress codes. Better solution.
Sounds like you might have an agenda un related to golf?
Charles Hine
Nov 30, 2018 at 4:32 pm
You CAN mark your ball in front of the ball and lift without penalty. Interpretation 14.1a/2
Marking Ball Correctly
Rule 14.1a uses “right behind” and “right next to” to ensure the spot of a lifted ball is marked with sufficient accuracy for the player to replace it in the right spot.
A ball may be marked in any position around the ball so long as it is marked right next to it, and this includes placing a ball-marker in front of or to the side of the ball.
Major Peace
Nov 30, 2018 at 12:49 pm
#3 Rule if you remove the flag and purposely place it in such a way as to restrict the distance your ball can go past the hole, how will this be managed.
George
Nov 30, 2018 at 2:07 pm
A flagstick deliberately positioned or left in a particular place to deflect or stop the ball is treated as a deliberately deflected or stopped ball by a person -> general penalty i.e. 2 penalty strokes or loss of hole AND the stroke made does not count and has to be replaced (in stroke play of course) on its original spot. R13-2b
That is, if the stroke was made from the putting green. From outside the putting green you’d have to place the ball on the estimated spot on the green where it would have come to rest.
George
Nov 30, 2018 at 2:08 pm
the general penalty would also apply from outside the putting green
Rich Douglas
Nov 30, 2018 at 11:46 am
They should have gotten rid of OB entirely and played it all like a lateral water hazard. (Many people not playing in competitions do this anyway.) There are some silly situations where holes are squeezed into spaces and there’s simply no room for error. OB is supposed to be saved for huge misses, but it’s used in a lot of places to make holes more difficult. By playing it as a lateral, you eliminate the stroke-and-distance, retaining the stroke penalty. This speeds play and makes many holes more playable.
Mharr
Dec 1, 2018 at 9:23 am
Besides the change that they have eliminated “lateral” hazards (they are all just hazards now), the new local rule (if adopted at your course) actually gives you better relief, as you can drop anywhere between the OB and the fairway, not just 2 club lengths.
Rube
Dec 2, 2018 at 10:55 pm
There aren’t enough OBs, actually. Especially on Tour.