Six new PGA Tour rules come into effect – from fairway relief to pitch marks and club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour informed players of five new local model rules and added a change to a preferred lie rule. The season opener will start with a total of six new rules next week at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii. Steven Rintoul, Vice President of Rules and Officials for the PGA Tour, told golf.com, ‘Good, sensible outcomes for golf at the highest level.’ He explained that these new local model rules, approved by the USGA and R&A effective January 1, 2026, continue the modernization of the rulebook initiated in 2019.
New Golf Rule Clarifies Penalties for Unintentional Ball Movement
According to Rule 9.4b, a player incurs a penalty stroke if they move their resting ball and fail to put it back before their next stroke, even if they were unaware the ball had moved or could move. The penalty is one stroke. However, the player is not considered to have played from the wrong place (Rule 14.7a – two penalty strokes) if it later becomes clear they caused the ball to move.
If the player realizes the ball moved, does not replace it, and plays from the new spot, they receive the general penalty under Rule 14.7a for playing from the wrong place. Even if it is later found that the player caused the ball to move but mistakenly thought they did not have to replace it, the general penalty applies.
This rule originated from an incident involving Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, where he slightly moved the ball during a practice swing on the 12th hole without realizing it. After the round, officials, reviewing television footage, imposed a two-stroke penalty after lengthy deliberation. Lowry described the penalty as ‘hard to accept’ but accepted it without dispute.
Relief Without Penalty Now Allowed for Balls in Another Player’s Pitch Mark
The next rule change concerns when a player’s ball rests in another player’s pitch mark. Previously, relief without penalty was only allowed if the ball was in the player’s own pitch mark. Now, under Rule 16.3b, a player may take relief without penalty if an official determines the ball lies in a pitch mark below ground level caused by another player’s stroke. A repaired pitch mark, however, is not covered by this rule, regardless of quality or completeness of repair, such as those fixed with a club, object, foot, or by greenkeeping equipment like lawnmowers.
Repeated incidents and again Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open Championship, whose ball landed in a pitch mark during the second round but was denied relief by officials, led to Lowry missing his approach shot and visibly showing frustration on the turf.