GARFORTH GOLF CLUB

Rules 2023

Updated "Rules of Golf" effective from 1st January 2023. Please click on the text below for a summary

Rules of 2023

Hopefully, all members will be aware that that the Rules of Golf have been updated again, effective from 1 January 2023. The Managing Secretary has previously posted on the Club notice boards the infographic prepared by the R&AS and sent out to everyone a notification of the intended change, social media has been awash with info from the R&A, EG, National Club Golfer and other Golf Magazines, so hopefully this hasn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

The changes in all honesty are not earth shattering but everyone needs to be aware what has changed, so this notification does no more than draw Members' attention to the significant items. The Golf Committee are hoping to hold a Rules Update evening something before the start of the 2023 golf season but hopefully, what follows will be useful. The updated R&A Rules of Golf App is available for download at the Apple Store or Android App supplier or from the R&A website. Apparently, the R&A are not publishing free paper versions of the Rules of Golf – Players’ Guide anymore so it’s a smartphone or a friend who has one and don’t forget to keep it charged!

Significant Changes:

• Application of Stableford Penalties and Stableford Rules explanations under Rule 21
• Rule modifications for Players with Disabilities are now incorporated into the Rules of Golf as Rule 25
• No penalties for failing to put your handicap on the scorecard
• Replacement of damaged clubs except where damage is the result of abuse
• Replacement of ball moved by natural forces
• Simplification of ‘back on the line’ relief
• Can’t stand behind your partner to gain information about side’s next stroke
• Can’t replay a stroke if your ball hits an insect when the ball is played on the putting green

We hope this is helpful, but all members are encouraged to make themselves aware of the changes, download the Rules of Golf App from the R&A and please don’t forget, lack of knowledge of the Rules of Golf is not an acceptable reason for breaking them.

The Golf Committee