The 20 Most Important Changes to the Rules of Golf 2019

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​Search Time – Reduced from 5-3 minutes.

Ball Moved During Search – Ball is replaced with
no penalty.

Embedded Ball – Free relief anywhere through the course.

Measuring a Drop – Use longest club (except putter).

​Dropping- Drop from knee height, rather than shoulder.

Taking Stance on wrong green is not permitted.

Ball Unintentionally Hits Player or Equipment
No penalty.

Double Hit- No penalty, now only counts as 1 stroke.

Touching sand in bunker incidentally is permitted.

Loose impediments can be removed anywhere including hazards.

Dropping a ball out of a bunker – 2 penalty strokes.

​Water Hazards - Now called “Penalty Areas”

Touching Ground in Penalty Area- No penalty.

Ball Moves on Green After Being Marked
Replaced without penalty.

Ball Accidentally Moved on Putting Green
​Replaced no penalty.

All damage to green can now be repaired.

Positioning a club for alignment is not permitted.

​​Caddie assisting with alignment is not permitted.

Putting with flag stick in hole is now permitted.

Ball wedged against flag stick and side of hole is now deemed as holed.

These New Rules are implemented as of
January 1, 2019- Governing Bodies of Golf  R&A, USGA