Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - 9

ited set of restrictions (such as not grounding the club right next
to the ball) is kept to preserve the challenge of playing from the
sand; however, an extra relief option is added for an unplayable
ball in a bunker, allowing the ball to be played from outside the
bunker with a two-stroke penalty.
Some Rules have not changed, including playing a ball from a
divot hole, the stroke and distance penalty for a ball lost or out of
bounds, the 4ΒΌ-inch diameter of the hole and the 14-club maximum.
Several
old terms have been eliminated or replaced with new,
easier to understand defi nitions. For instance, " through the
green " has been replaced with " general area, " and applies to the
entire golf course except the teeing area, penalty areas (another
new term), bunkers and putting green. The " relief area " is a new
concept for an area with specifi c dimensions (20 or 80 inches)
where a player takes relief under a rule. " Rub of the green " has
been omitted entirely.
The MGA plans to test the new Rules with an event in the
spring, while the USGA is encouraging golfers to experiment
with the new Rules by using a " Test Rules " template created by
the USGA (available at usga.org/rules), with the caveat that these
scores cannot be posted for handicap purposes.
Likewise, the USGA reminds all golfers that the current 2016
edition of the Rules of Golf remains in effect until the new Rules
are offi cially adopted in 2019. In the meantime, golfers can follow
the conversation on social media using #GolfRules2019, read and
review the proposed new Rules on the USGA's website, at usga.
org/rules, and provide feedback online until Aug. 31.
What Happens Next
1 March 1-Aug. 31, 2017: The rules-makers will accept
feedback and evaluate the proposed new Rules changes.
2 Sept. 2017-early 2018: The rules-makers will draft the
new Rules book.
3 Late 2018: The rules-makers will publish the full Rules
book, plus supporting materials, including translation into
30 languages, and introduce a new Rules App.
4 Jan. 1, 2019: The new rules take effect.
The Evolution of the Rules of Golf
One of the proposed Rules changes designed to simplify the
complex procedure of putting a ball into play after taking
relief under a rule (e.g., from a hazard or unplayable lie) is
the new dropping procedure. The ball is dropped from any
distance above the ground as long as the ball doesn't touch
any living thing. It must drop through the air and come to
rest in a specifi c dropping area (20 inches for free relief, or
80 inches for penalty relief). The fi xed measure replaces the
one club- or two club-lengths measure from the old Rules
book, and should prevent the need to re-drop.
www.mngolf.org
The earliest version of a written set of rules for golf dates
to 1744, and is known as the " 13 Articles " drafted by The
Gentlemen Golfers of Leith. Individual golf clubs adopted
and modifi ed these rules, but over time it was apparent
that golf needed a common set of rules. In 1894, the USGA
adopted the R&A rules, with some modifi cations, for its
competitions in America. The R&A established its Rules
Committee in 1897 and the fi rst-ever " consolidated code "
in 1899. During the early 20th century, the USGA and the
R&A formalized the rules-making process, introducing a
book of decisions on the Rules and advisory committees to
address the rules-changing process. A major revision came
in 1934, when the R&A wanted " to clarify the meaning of
the Rules, " much like what is going on today.
In 1952, the USGA and R&A introduced the fi rst " unifi
ed code, " reconciling many differences in the USGA and
R&A rules. The years 1968, 1980 and 1984 saw important
changes to the Rules, with the latter edition introducing
a completely " reorganized structure and revised writing
style, " and the publication of the fi rst uniform decisions
book.
You can learn more about how the Rules changed by
reading " A Brief History of Revisions to the Rules of Golf:
1744 to Present, " at the usga.org/rules website.
Spring 2017 MINNESOTAGOLFER
9
http://www.usga.org/rules http://www.usga.org/rules http://www.mngolf.org

Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017

Contents
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - Cover1
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - Cover2
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - Contents
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - 2
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - 3
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - 4
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Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - 7
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - 8
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - 9
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