See below a description of the most significant rules changes. I like the starting time change from a DQ for being late to 2 strokes. It's only a 5minute window but still, it's something.


Rules of Golf

Definitions

Addressing the Ball
The Definition is amended so that a player has addressed the ball simply by grounding his club immediately in front of or behind the ball, regardless of whether or not he has taken his stance. Therefore, the Rules generally no longer provide for a player addressing the ball in a hazard. (See also related change to Rule 18-2b)

Rules

Rule 1-2. Exerting Influence on Movement of Ball or Altering
Physical Conditions

The Rule is amended to establish more clearly that, if a player intentionally takes an action to influence the movement of a ball or to alter physical conditions affecting the playing of a hole in a way that is not permitted by the Rules, Rule 1-2 applies only when the action is not already covered
in another Rule. For example, a player improving the lie of his ball is in breach of Rule 13-2 and therefore that Rule would apply, whereas a player intentionally improving the lie of a fellow-competitor’s ball is not a situation covered by Rule 13-2 and, therefore, is governed by Rule 1-2.

Rule 6-3a. Time of Starting

Rule 6-3a is amended to provide that the penalty for starting late, but within five minutes of the starting time, is reduced from disqualification to loss of the first hole in match play or two strokes at the first hole in stroke play. Previously this penalty reduction could be introduced as a condition of competition.

Rule 12-1. Seeing Ball; Searching for Ball

Rule 12-1 is reformatted for clarity. In addition, it is amended to (i) permit a player to search for his ball anywhere on the course when it may be covered by sand and to clarify that there is no penalty if the ball is moved
in these circumstances, and (ii) apply a penalty of one stroke under Rule 18-2a if a player moves his ball in a hazard when searching for it when it is believed to be covered by loose impediments.

Rule 13-4. Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions

Exception 2 to Rule 13-4 is amended to permit a player to smooth sand or soil in a hazard at any time, including before playing from that hazard, provided it is for the sole purpose of caring for the course and Rule 13-2 is not breached.
Rule 18-2b. Ball Moving After Address
A new Exception is added that exonerates the player from penalty if his ball moves after it has been addressed when it is known or virtually certain that he did not cause the ball to move. For example, if it is a gust of wind that moves the ball after it has been addressed, there is no penalty and the ball is played from its new position.

Rule 19-1. Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped; By Outside Agency

The note is expanded to prescribe the various outcomes when a ball in motion has been deliberately deflected or stopped by an outside agency.

Rule 20-7c. Playing from Wrong Place; Stroke Play

Note 3 is amended so that if a player is to be penalized for playing from a wrong place, in most cases the penalty will be limited to two strokes, even if another Rule has been breached prior to his making the stroke.

One thing that those rules changes will do is to STOP some golfers from "grounding" the club when they address the ball so as to prevent getting a penality should the wind move the ball on the greens. This has come up a few times on tour last year.

I agree with you completely on the Late for a tee time rule change. I felt what happened to Jim Furyk during a Pro-Am round to be way overboard. It happened during the Pro-Am round which didn't even count for score in the tourniment, and he was DQ'ed for the whole event. Kind of stupid in my opinion. With the new rules change it wouldn't be a big deal, which I agree with.

Rule 18-2b. Ball Moving After Address
A new Exception is added that exonerates the player from penalty if his ball moves after it has been addressed when it is known or virtually certain that he did not cause the ball to move. For example, if it is a gust of wind that moves the ball after it has been addressed, there is no penalty and the ball is played from its new position.

Think this one was a no-brainer. Why on earth would you be penalized for something you have no control over, like wind moving the ball on the green? There are plenty of natural hazards on the course which you CAN avoid.

I agree with you Amiee. I've seen it happen a few time on tour where a golfer backs off of a putt, and some wind picks up and moves the ball. Because he had address the ball before he backed off, he got a penality due to the wind and not something he did. Total nonsense in my book, but that's the way the rules read until now.

Agree Aimee. This happened several times on tour last couple years and I'm glad to see this rule changed.

So I saw today that Ryan Moore was pissed after the new rules changes didn't help him avoid a penalty. So he addressed his putt and before he putted the ball settled backwards. So it moved. Under the old rules, he would have incurred a penalty. Under the new rules, he STILL incurs a penalty.

Why? Well, the new rule covers situations where its fairly certain that an outside agency caused the ball to move. The Senior Rules Official explained that, in this case, there were no outside agency. The rules and decisions apparently make it clear that GRAVITY IS NOT CONSIDERED an outside agency.

So he got the penalty anyway.

stupid, stupid, stupid.
If the ball moves on it's own, you didn't touch it, that is an unfair penalty.

Well clearly the rule isn't understood by everyone. I thought the change would have covered this situation...but noooooo.

I understand why we need a rule like this, but only when the player's action causes the ball to move. Maybe we should learn to putt without grounding the putter even...

Ther are a few tour golfers that have gone to that idea. NOT grounding the putt at all, just to get around this problem of the ball moving and getting a penality when they didn't cause the ball to move.

Here's the decision, which clarifies it.
It has to be at least virtually certain, that an outside agency (other player, spectator, animal...) or wind (which is not an outside agency) have caused the ball to move.

So a player, who's ball lies on on a slope on a fast putting green will have think twice, before he grounds his putter.

McFade

What's the penalty, 1 stroke? And you play the ball as it lie?

Wow, gravity isn't considered an outside agency, but wind is.

Crazy justification.

That would be because gravity is a "CONSTANT", while wind will vary one second to the next.

Rule 18-2b:
If
- the ball was addressed and
- it moves
- not by wind or an outside agency,
the movement is deemed to be caused by the player.

One PS and ball must be replaced. If not replaced 2 PS for playing from wrong place.

McFade

So if you see your ball move, act like your getting blown over by an unexpected burst of wind. That's what we have to do.