Six new PGA Tour rules come into effect—ranging from fairway relief to pitch marks and club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour informed players of five new local model rules, adding a change regarding preferred lies. This brings the total to six new rules starting next week at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii. Steven Rintoul, Vice President of Rules and Officiating for the PGA Tour, told golf.com: ‘Good, sensible outcomes for golf at the highest level.’ He explained that these new local model rules, adopted by the USGA and R&A starting January 1, 2026, continue the modernization of the rule book initiated in 2019.
Below we present the new rules and local model rules, explaining the reasons behind these decisions:
New Golf Rule Clarifies Penalties for Unintended Ball Movements
According to Rule 9.4b, a player receives a penalty stroke if they move their resting ball and fail to replace it before their next stroke, even if unaware the ball moved or could have moved. The player is penalized one stroke but does not play from a wrong place (Rule 14.7a—two strokes) if later found to have caused the movement.
If the player noticed the ball moved, does not replace it, and plays from the new spot, the general penalty under Rule 14.7a for playing from a wrong place applies. Even if it later emerges the player caused the movement but mistakenly thought otherwise, the general penalty still applies.
This rule stemmed from a 2025 Open Championship incident at Royal Portrush: Shane Lowry unintentionally moved his ball during a practice swing on the 12th hole. Officials imposed a two-stroke penalty after reviewing TV footage. Lowry found the penalty hard to accept but accepted it without dispute.
Penalty-Free Relief Now Allowed for Ball in Another Player’s Pitch Mark
The next change addresses when a player’s ball rests in another’s pitch mark. Previously, penalty-free relief was only granted if the ball was in the player’s own pitch mark. Now, under Rule 16.3b, a player may take relief if an official confirms the ball lies in a pitch mark below ground level made by another player’s shot. Repaired pitch marks—whether intentionally or accidentally fixed—are excluded from relief. Examples include pitch marks repaired with a club, tool, or foot. Even if groundskeepers have passed over with mowers leaving slight depressions, these are considered repaired.
Repeated incidents led to this change, including a case involving Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open where his ball landed in a pitch mark and officials denied relief. Lowry missed his next shot and showed frustration.
‘Out of Bounds’ Applies Only From Tee Shots
To prevent players from gaining unfair advantages by shortcutting across other fairways, inside boundaries marked by white stakes will only denote ‘Out of Bounds’ when the ball is played from the tee. Previously, players sometimes used other holes’ fairways as relief or shortcuts. This change prevents situations where a player could be blocked by boundaries from chipping back to the fairway near obstacles like trees. The original aim was to stop players from exploiting other holes’ fair