Golfers around the world are "getting their first glimpse of the new rulebook which will govern the game from the start of next year," according to Iain Carter of the BBC. A "raft of changes aimed at making golf quicker and more enjoyable" will be introduced from Jan. 1. The R&A and the U.S. Golf Association, the joint rules-making bodies, also took steps to make the rules "easier to understand." For the first time, a "player's edition" of the Rules of Golf was launched and it includes diagrams and illustrations as well as "more direct language to explain the complexities of the game." R&A Dir of Governance David Rickman said, "This is a pretty exciting day for us, it has been six-and-a-half years in the making. We have millions of people around the world who love this sport and want to play by the rules. We needed to step up and give them the best opportunity to do that." Among the alterations "coming into force" are:
- Free and penalty drops being made "from knee rather than shoulder height."
- The flag "no longer needing to be removed" from the hole for putts on the green.
- Caddies "not allowed to line up players" before they hit shots.
- No penalty for an "accidental double hit."
Rickman said, "The general tenor of these changes has been the removal of penalties, the removal of restrictions, creating a slightly more relaxed approach" (BBC, 9/12). THE SCOTSMAN reported the "roll out process" started over the weekend and the initial reaction to the player's edition "has been positive." One match secretary at a Fife club wrote on Twitter, "The golfing authorities often get slated, but deserve credit for the new rule book which is much more illustrated and uses plain English for a change. Purpose of each rule also explained and makes understanding the rules easier." The process to modernize the rules began in '12 (SCOTSMAN, 9/12).
