Rules of Golf – Revised by the R&A

The  rules of golf have been making headlines this year thanks to a number of high profile incidents where professional players have been called up for rule infringements that have, in some cases, lead to disqualification and or penalty shots being added to the overall score. These incidences sparked debate across the golfing world about the rationality behind some of the rules that were laid down decades ago. Read more

Equality in Golf

The spiritual home of golf, St Andrews, is closer than ever to abandoning a tradition that perhaps belongs in the past. While discrimination is clearly an issue that needs to be resolved in every day life, are single-gender sports clubs really guilty of it? Read more

Sandwich changes to make for tough Open Championship Test

The R&A yesterday announced a raft of changes that are being made to Royal St. George’s – the venue for the 2011 Open Championship.

The world’s top golfers will descend on the Kent course in July in a bid to wrest the famous Claret Jug from the grasp of its current custodian, South African Louis Oosthuizen. But to do so, they will have to contend with a course that will play considerably tougher than in past years.

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R&A, USGA revise incorrect scorecard disqualification ruling

Golf’s governing bodies – the USGA and R&A – have approved a change in the interpretation of the rules of golf, meaning that players will no longer be automatically be disqualified because of rule violations discovered by television viewers.

The move comes after high profile social media and mainstream media furore over the disqualifications of Padraig Harrington in the Abu Dhabi Championship and Camilo Vilegas in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii back in January this year.

The decision means that players who are unaware of a rules breach before signing their score card won’t now be automatically disqualified. However, players will still receive the statutory penalty for the rules breach.

The change covers the Rules of Golf ruling 33-7/4.5 – Competitor Unaware of Penalty Returns Wrong Score – and addresses the situation where a player is unawares that he has breached a rule because of facts that he did not know and could not have discovered prior to returning his scorecard. The amendment comes into immediate effect.

“For some time we have been concerned that, in certain limited circumstances, disproportionate disqualification penalties have been required by the Rules,” said R&A Chief Executive Peter Dawson.
“This carefully considered decision reflects our desire to ensure that the Rules of Golf remain fair and relevant in the changing environment in which the game is played today.”

Road to ruin?

Well, here we are going into another Major championship and guess what? Another controversy over course design changes crops up.

Even the hallowed ground of the Old Course at St Andrews, host venue of the 2010 Open Championship, can’t escape this recurring theme – and the hooha this time is over just about the most revered hole in golf – the 17th “Road Hole”. Read more

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