At last it seems that common sense has prevailed and the world golf’s governing authorities, namely The R&A and the USGA, have announced the introduction of a new Local Rule to the Rules of Golf that eliminates the penalty when a ball is accidentally moved on the green. The Local Rule will be available to any committee in charge of a golf competition as of January 1, 2017. It will be adopted by the R&A and the USGA in all their championships, qualifying competitions and international matches. Likewise, the Royal Spanish Golf Federation will apply it in all its competitions.
The Local Rule has been well received by major golf tours around the world, and the PGA Tour, European Tour, LPGA, PGA of America and Masters are among the golf organizations that will implement the Local Rule for all of their future events, beginning in January 2017.
If a Committee wishes to introduce this Local Rule, the following wording is recommended:
“Rules 18-2, 18-3 and 20-1 are amended as follows:
When a player’s ball rests on the green, there is no penalty if the ball or ball marker is accidentally moved by the player, his partner, his opponent, or any of his caddies or equipment.
The moved ball or ball marker must be replaced as provided in Rules 18-2, 18-3 and 20-1.
This Local Rule applies only when the player’s ball or ball marker is resting on the green and any movement is accidental.
Note: If it is determined that a player’s ball on the green was moved as a result of wind, water or some other natural cause such as the effects of gravity, the ball must be played as it rests from its new location. A ball marker moved in such circumstances is reset.”
This decision of the world golf governing bodies may have its origin or acceleration in the controversy in the last US Open when Dustin Johnson was penalized with a stroke after his ball moved while he was making a practice swing on the 5th green at Oakmont. Johnson said he had not touched it and his teammate Lee Westwood also exculpated him, but he was penalized with a stroke nonetheless. The decision was made when the player was on the 12th hole despite the fact that the video did not prove that he had touched the ball. Although Johnson managed to win the victory, the USGA’s sanction provoked a cascade of criticism from the major players on the circuit.
The penalty did not prevent Johnson from finally taking the victory, but the USGA’s sanction provoked an avalanche of criticism from the major players on the American Tour.
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