Six new PGA Tour rules come into effect, covering fairway relief, pitch marks, and club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour informed players of five new local model rules and added one more change affecting preferred lies. The season opener next week at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii, will kick off with a total of six new rules. Steven Rintoul, PGA Tour Vice President of Rules and Officiating, told golf.com: ‘Good, sensible outcomes for golf at the highest level.’ He explained these local model rules, approved from January 1, 2026, by the USGA and R&A, are part of ongoing modernization efforts started in 2019.
Below, we introduce the new rules and explain the reasons behind these decisions:
New Golf Rule Clarifies Penalties for Unintended Ball Movement
According to Rule 9.4b, a player receives one penalty stroke if they move their ball at rest and fail to replace it before their next stroke without knowing the ball moved or could have moved. This penalty applies even if it’s later found the player caused the ball’s movement. However, if the player notices the ball moved and plays it from a new spot without replacing it, they incur the general penalty under Rule 14.7a (two strokes) for playing from a wrong place. This rule arose after Shane Lowry’s incident during the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, where he unknowingly moved his ball slightly during a practice swing and was penalized two strokes after video review. Lowry accepted the penalty despite finding it hard to accept.
Penalty-Free Relief Extended to Balls in Another Player’s Pitch Mark
Previously, penalty-free relief was only allowed if the ball lay in the player’s own pitch mark. Now, under Rule 16.3b, players can get relief if an official determines the ball rests in a pitch mark below ground level created by another player’s stroke. Repaired pitch marks do not qualify for relief regardless of repair quality, including those fixed intentionally or accidentally, or affected by greenskeepers. This change was motivated by occurrences like Lowry’s second-round ball resting in a pitch mark during the 2025 Open, where relief was denied, affecting his subsequent shots and causing frustration.
‘Out of Bounds’ Applies Only from the Tee
To prevent players taking unfair shortcuts by using other holes’ fairways, inside out-of-bounds boundaries marked by white stakes now apply only from the tee. Previously, players were often restricted by these boundaries mid-hole, limiting recovery options. This adjustment allows more freedom once the ball is in play beyond the tee, maintaining the intent to stop tee-shot advantages from other fairways.
Relief Allowed from Immovable Obstructions on Closely Mown Areas Near the Green
If the ball is not on the green, immovable obstructions usually do not entitle players to relief under Rule 16.1. However, if the closely mown area or fringe resembles putting conditions and affects the putting stroke, officials may grant relief from items like sprinklers or microphone holes interfering with the putting line.
Players May Repair Damaged Clubs Using Spare Parts During Round
Rule 4.