Six new PGA Tour rules take effect, ranging from fairway relief and pitch marks to club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour informed players of five new local model rules and added a change regarding preferred lies. The season kicks off next week at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii, with a total of six new rules. Steven Rintoul, PGA Tour’s Vice President of Rules and Officiating, told golf.com that these are \”good, sensible outcomes for the sport at the highest level.\” He explained that these local model rules, ratified by the USGA and R&A effective January 1, 2026, continue the modernization process initiated in 2019.
New Golf Rule Clarifies Penalties for Unintentional Ball Movements
According to Rule 9.4b, a player incurs a penalty stroke if they move their stationary ball and fail to replace it before their next stroke, even if unaware the ball had moved or could have moved. However, the player is not considered to have played from a wrong place (Rule 14.7a – two strokes penalty) if it later emerges they caused the ball movement. If the player notices the ball has moved but does not replace it and plays from the new spot, the general penalty under Rule 14.7a applies. This rule was prompted by an incident involving Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open Championship, where a minimal ball movement during a practice swing was unnoticed, leading to a two-stroke penalty confirmed after video review.
Penalty-Free Relief Now Allowed for Ball in Another Player’s Pitch Mark
Previously, penalty-free relief was only granted if a ball rested in the player’s own pitch mark. Now, Rule 16.3b permits relief if a rules official confirms the ball lies in a pitch mark below ground level made by another player’s shot. Repaired pitch marks remain unaffected by this rule, regardless of repair quality. This change followed repeated situations, including Lowry’s 2025 Open round, where relief was denied when his ball landed in another player’s pitch mark.
\”Out of Bounds\” Applies Only from the Tee Shot
To prevent players from gaining an advantage by using other fairways as shortcuts, inside boundaries marked as \”Out of Bounds\” will now only apply when the ball is played from the tee. Previously, players were sometimes restricted from safely playing back to their fairway after reaching such boundaries, leading to unfair situations.
Relief Allowed for Movable Obstructions on Closely Mown Areas Near Greens
If the ball is off the putting green but on a closely mown fringe where putting is feasible, movable obstructions such as sprinklers or microphone holes may be considered interference, allowing relief under the new rule 16.1 if they affect the player’s line of play.