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  • Hello and welcome, my name is Yves Ton-That from Expert Golf

  • and today I'll give you an overview of the rules changes for 2019.

  • You may have heard that new rules apply from 2019.

  • In this video, I'll be giving you a summary of the twenty most important changes.

  • If you think they are hard to remember, please check out myGolf Rules Quick Reference

  • which contains a summary of these changes as well as all other applicable rules.

  • That way you always have them with you on the course for easy reference.

  • And now let's take a look at the changes.

  • From 2019, you only have 3 minutes to search for a ball. Previously, it was 5 minutes.

  • Please take a quick look at your watch before you start the search

  • as this will speed up the game considerably.

  • When you're looking for your ball in high grass you might accidentally tread on it and move it.

  • You used to get a penalty for doing so, now there is no longer a penalty for this.

  • The ball must be put back.

  • If the ground is wet the ball may become embedded in the ground when it lands.

  • Until now, you only got relief from embedded balls in closely-mown areas,

  • like the fairway and the fringe.

  • Now, you can take a free drop from all embedded balls in the general area,

  • including in the semi-rough and rough.

  • Until now, the player could use any of his clubs to measure out club-lengths.

  • Now a club-length is defined as the player's longest club, except for his putter.

  • Until 1984, you had to drop backwards over your shoulder. Then from shoulder height.

  • Now you have to drop from knee height.

  • If you drop from shoulder height out of habit, don't worry,

  • just pick the ball up and drop it again correctly, without penalty.

  • If the ball lands on the wrong green you are not allowed to play it from there

  • as this would most likely damage the green.

  • Previously, the player was allowed to take his stance on the wrong green

  • and the nearest point of relief was always on the fringe.

  • Now, you're also not allowed to stand on the wrong green,

  • meaning that the spot for dropping is usually a bit further away from the green.

  • If the player hits himself or his own equipment this used to result in a one stroke penalty.

  • Now there's no penalty. However, it must have happened accidentally.

  • You're not allowed to use your equipment or a foot as a ball stopper.

  • If your club gets stuck when you play a shot and you hit the ball more than once you used to incur

  • one penalty stroke. Now there is no penalty and the double hit just counts as one stroke.

  • In a bunker, the condition of the sand must not be tested before the stroke is played,

  • the club must not be grounded behind the ball

  • and you're not permitted to touch the sand during practice swings.

  • This is still the case from 2019.

  • But the rules are more relaxed when it comes to touching the sand incidentally.

  • For instance, marks can be smoothed out as long as they're not on the line of play

  • and you're now also permitted to lean on a club, for example.

  • Previously, you were not allowed to touch twigs, leaves, stones, branches

  • and other loose impediments in hazards.

  • Now, they can be removed anywhere, including in bunkers and penalty areas,

  • which is what water hazards are called from 2019.

  • Please bear in mind that the ball is still not supposed to move when removing loose impediments.

  • Otherwise it must be put back and one penalty stroke is incurred.

  • If you declare your ball unplayable in a bunker, you used to have three dropping options,

  • each incurring one penalty stroke.

  • The ball usually had to be dropped in the bunker, unless you returned to the spot

  • where you played your last stroke, whereby you lost the entire distance of that stroke.

  • Now, there's a fourth option available. You can drop the ball directly behind the bunker

  • but this will then cost you two penalty strokes instead of just one.

  • Water hazards are now called penalty areas and no longer have to contain water.

  • This means that golf clubs are free to mark other zones as penalty areas

  • to enable players to take a sideways drop and thus speed up the game.

  • If you decide to play the ball from a penalty area this is now significantly simpler,

  • because you are allowed to ground the club. You can even set it down behind the ball in the water.

  • Well, let's see if it really makes playing out of water easier.

  • If you mark your ball on the green and then put it backand it moves either by itself or by wind,

  • it no longer has to be played from the new spot. It has to be put back again.

  • Previously, accidentally moving the ball on the green was already without penalty in lots of cases.

  • Now this type of mishap is without penalty all the time.

  • It doesn't matter whether the club slips out of your hand or you make a practice swing

  • too close to the ball and the ball moves as a resultjust put the ball back without penalty.

  • Until now, you weren't allowed to repair the line of putt,

  • apart from a few exceptions such as pitch marks and old hole plugs.

  • Now, nearly all damage on the green can be repaired, including spike marks.

  • But this isn't free licence to smooth out the entire line of putt,

  • as natural imperfections are part of the game.

  • Some players have the habit of laying the club down on the ground to line up their shot.

  • The new rules state that this is no longer allowed.

  • This rule change mainly affects professionals.

  • On TV you have no doubt seen caddies kneeling behind their player to help them line up the putt.

  • This is no longer allowed and will hopefully speed up the game.

  • The most major rule change in my opinion concerns the flag.

  • Hitting the flagstick is now without penalty, which means you can always leave the flag in the hole.

  • Previously, the flag had to be removed in this case to let the ball fall into the hole.

  • Now, the ball is classed as having been holed if part of the ball is below the lip.

  • This ball is therefore already holed and I can pick it up.

  • This was a summary of the twenty most important rules changes that are valid from January 1st, 2019.

  • If you have theGolf Rules Quick Referencewith you during the round, you don't have to remember

  • anything of that because you will be able to answer all rules questions in a matter of seconds.

  • Just open the index tab that corresponds to the location of your ball,

  • use the headings and illustrations to find your rules situation and the solution is right there.

  • By the way, this is also available as an iPhone app called iGolfrules.

  • If you find this video helpful please register with expertgolf.com.

  • You will then automatically be notified if a new video goes online

  • and we will keep you up-to-date about all future rules changes free of charge.

  • Thanks for watching, enjoy your golf and see you soon.

Hello and welcome, my name is Yves Ton-That from Expert Golf

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