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2019 Rules Blog

 

          As we enter into the 2019 golf season, we are going to be playing our first few rounds with some changes.  Not only with rules, but also some new terminology.  Let’s go over a few of the changes that may affect you this spring. 

Let’s start with the new term “Penalty Area”.  Penalty Area will now be the term used for red and yellow staked areas.   Yellow penalty areas have two relief options covered under rule 17, and red penalty areas have a 3^rd lateral option as well as the two options allowed under the yellow penalty staked areas.

          I will list the relief options but remember, the player always has the option to play a ball from within the penalty areas if they wish to do so.

Yellow penalty area options: 1) replay from the original spot using the stroke and distance relief option.  2) Drop a ball back on the line keeping the spot where the ball last crossed the penalty area and the player may go back as far as they want keeping where ball entered penalty area in line with the hole location.  Once a reference point (the point from which the relief area is measured) has been determined, the player may drop 1 club length, no nearer the hole, on either side of the reference point. 

Red penalty options:  In addition to the two yellow penalty area options, the player may take lateral relief.  Lateral relief is determined by 2 club lengths from the spot where the ball last crossed the red penalty area.  Remember, the ball must be dropped no nearer the hole and the drop must be within the 2 club length area. 

 

          Let me take a moment to mention a few other changes that we all will run into:

          1 – When taking a drop, a player must drop from knee height, NOT shoulder height like we all have done since we took up the game.

          2 – New this year, a player may only search for their golf ball for 3 minutes instead of 5 minutes.  I usually give up after 1 minute so I don’t see this rule making an impact on me.

          3 – The player may keep the flagstick in at all times and a penalty will not be assessed when the ball strikes it.  We have seen a few PGA tour pros already take advantage of this. 

          4 – The dreaded double hit only counts as one stroke now.  This will save David Bailey a couple shots a round. 

          5 – When on the putting green and making a practice stroke, it is no longer a penalty for making the ball move by accident.  Just replace the ball on the original spot and move on. 

 

These are just a few of the new changes.  It is important to review all of them so that “The stickler of the rules” at your local course doesn’t ruin your round on the first few holes.  It tends to make for a very long and uncomfortable round of golf.

 

Ben Morey, PGA

I recently returned from Washington D.C. after attending “National Golf Day”.  This is the 11^th year that this event has taken place.  It is my second year attending. It is organized by WE ARE GOLF, a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners.  I attended along with others across the nation, representing the National Golf Course Owners Association.  Others associated with the industry, Superintendents, PGA Golf Professionals, industry vendors, etc., also made the trip to Washington to tell their story.  Two hundred meetings were scheduled for owners and other representatives to meet with congressional leaders from their state.  I was fortunate enough to meet with Senator King and his legislative assistant as well as legislative assistants from both Senator Collins and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree’s office.  Concerns relating to the golf industry such as environmental and labor issues were discussed with the Maine Delegation. My trip to Washington again was a great experience providing a way to bring concerns to our legislators and for me to take part in bringing national awareness on the contributions our industry makes to economic, charitable, environmental, health and wellness areas. Here are a few facts we learned about our industry.

Golf contributed $84.1 billion to the American economy in 2016 and impacted 2 million jobs.

Since 2012, golf as a fundraising vehicle has raised more than $20 billion for charity.  Annually, the game generates $3.9 billion for philanthropic causes, almost all of which are unrelated to the golf industry.

Golf is an excellent source of exercise.  Playing 18 holes of golf burns roughly 2,000 calories when walking and 1,300 calories when riding in a cart.

Golf courses are responsible uses of green space, providing wildlife habitat, a filter for runoff, and a cooling effect on developed areas. 

Did you know that eight out of 10 golfers play at public-access facilities, 75 percent of golf courses are public, and the median cost of a round is $38.   

It is hard to believe, but Spring Meadows will begin its 19^th full season of operation soon.  When will we open?  I cannot give you a concrete date right now but what I can tell you is what has happened during the last 18 years.  For the majority of years, we have opened within a week either side of April 15^th. Some years during the first week of April and some years during the last week of April.  Never have we opened in May but there have been a handful of times that we have opened in mid to late March, the most recent being in 2016.  In some years, to open, we have had to snow blow cart paths that are adjacent to wooded or shaded areas such as on holes 3 and 12. I think this season’s opening will hold true to the week either side of April 15^th.  We know that our golfers are anxious and are certainly not looking for perfection.  Rest assured that we will open as soon as possible.  We’re anxious, too! See you on the course!  Soon!

David Pollard
Partner/Manager

PS: We plan to “blog”once or twice per month throughout the season.  Look for blogs from others on our staff, such as Superintendent Luke Gagne and PGA Head Golf Professional, Ben Morey.  We hope you will enjoy our first season of blogging.