Rules of Golf – Equipment

By wsga

Posted on Jan 29, 2019

By now you’ve probably heard, the new Rules of Golf are in effect.

The main changes have been organized into nine different categories: Ball at Rest, Ball in Motion, Taking Relief, Areas of the Course, Equipment, Playing a Ball, When to Play During a Round, Player Behavior and Local Rule.

The following items outline some of the main changes in the Rules of Golf related to the “Equipment” category.

Equipment

Use of Damaged Club During a Round

  • New rule: A player may keep using any damaged club, no matter the nature or cause of the damage, even if the player damaged it in anger.
  • Old rule: A player may use the damaged club only if it was damaged in the “normal course of play.”
  • Full explanation from the USGA.

Adding Clubs to Replace a Club Damaged During Round

  • New rule: A player may not replace a damaged club, unless the player was not responsible for the damage.
  • Old rule: A player may replace a damaged club if it is “unfit for play” and was damaged in the “normal course of play.”
  • Full explanation from the USGA.

Use of Distance Measuring Devices (DMDs)

  • New rule: The use of DMDs is allowed, unless a Local Rule has been adopted prohibiting their use.
  • Old rule: DMD use is prohibited, unless a Local Rule has been adopted allowing their use.
  • Full explanation from the USGA.

For more information on the new Rules of Golf, visit usga.org/rules.