Six new PGA Tour rules take effect, covering fairway relief, pitch marks, ball movement penalties, and club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour informed players of five new local model rules and added a sixth relating to preferred lies, all coming into effect at the season opener next week at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii. Steven Rintoul, the PGA Tour’s Vice President of Rules and Officials, told golf.com these changes are a continued modernization of the rules framework initiated in 2019, approved by the USGA and R&A effective January 1, 2026.
The new rules and local model rules are detailed below along with the reasoning behind each change:
New Rules Clarify Penalties for Unintended Ball Movement
Under Rule 9.4b, a player receives a penalty stroke if they move their ball at rest and fail to replace it before their next shot, even if unaware the ball moved. However, the player is not considered to have played from a wrong place (Rule 14.7a – two penalty strokes) if it’s later found they caused the movement.
If the player noticed the ball moved and plays from the new spot without replacement, the general penalty under Rule 14.7a applies. This rule stems from an incident involving Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open Championship, where a practice swing unintentionally moved his ball. After review of TV footage, officials penalized him two strokes. Lowry later accepted the ruling despite finding it hard to accept.
Penalty-Free Relief for Ball in Another Player’s Pitch Mark
Previously, relief without penalty was only allowed if the ball came to rest in the player’s own pitch mark. Now, per Rule 16.3b, players can take relief if an official determines the ball lies in a pitch mark caused by another player’s shot below ground level. Repair status affects this ruling: a pitch mark repaired intentionally or accidentally, regardless of repair quality, is considered repaired and relief does not apply. Groundskeeper actions like mowing leaving indentations are also treated as repaired.
This change arose after repeated incidents, including one involving Lowry at the 2025 Open where officials denied relief and he missed his next shot, expressing frustration.
“Out of Bounds” Applies Only from the Tee
To prevent players from gaining unintended advantages by using another hole’s fairway as a shortcut, previously inside boundaries marked with white stakes were out of bounds at any point. Now, out of bounds applies only when the ball is played from the tee. This helps players who previously were restricted when encountering obstacles that otherwise prevented them from chipping back to the fairway.
Relief Allowed for Immovable Obstructions on Closely Mown Aprons
If a ball lies off the green, an immovable obstruction is usually not considered a hindrance and no relief is granted. However, when the apron or fringe is mowed short enough to allow putting as a normal stroke, obstructions like sprinklers or microphone holes that interfere with the putting line now warrant relief under the new Rule 16.1.
Players May Repair Damaged Clubs Using Spare Parts From Their Bags
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