Six new PGA Tour rules take effect—ranging from relief on fairways and pitchmarks to club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour announced five new local preferred lies rules to players, adding to a total of six new rules kicking off the season at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii, next week. Steven Rintoul, PGA Tour Vice President of Rules and Officiating, told golf.com these are \”good, reasonable outcomes for the game at the highest level.\” The new local rules, adopted by the USGA and R&A starting January 1, 2026, continue the modernization of the rules that began in 2019.
The following summarizes the new rules and the reasons behind the changes:
New Rule Clarifies Penalties for Unintentional Ball Movement
Under Rule 9.4b, a player receives a penalty stroke if they move their stationary ball and fail to put it back before their next stroke, even if unaware the ball moved or could have moved. However, the player has not played from the wrong place requiring a two-stroke penalty (Rule 14.7a) if it is later found they caused the ball movement.
If a player notices the ball moved and does not replace it before playing from the new spot, they incur the general penalty for playing from the wrong place. This rule follows an incident involving Shane Lowry at The Open Championship 2025, where he accidentally moved the ball during a practice swing but was unaware. Officials reviewed TV footage and assessed a two-stroke penalty, which Lowry accepted despite finding it difficult.
Relief Allowed When Ball Lies in Another Player’s Pitchmark
Previously, free relief was only granted if the ball rested in the player’s own pitchmark. Now, under Rule 16.3b, players can get relief if a rule official determines the ball lies in a pitchmark below ground level created by another player’s strike. Repaired pitchmarks—whether fixed intentionally or not—do not qualify for relief, even if incomplete. This addresses repeated situations like Lowry’s incident at The Open 2025, where officials denied relief after his ball landed in another player’s pitchmark, impacting his next shot.
\”Out of Bounds\” Applies Only from the Tee
The rule now states that internal boundary markers (often white stakes) mark out-of-bounds only when the ball is played from the tee. This change prevents situations where players were limited by such boundaries mid-hole, such as being blocked from chipping back onto the fairway by a tree or obstacles. The original intent was to stop players from shortcutting by playing from another hole’s fairway off the tee. This rule adjustment refines that to only apply from the tee shot.
Relief from Immovable Obstructions on Closely Mown Areas Near Greens
If the ball is not on the putting green, immovable obstructions normally do not grant relief under Rule 16.1. However, if the closely mown area around the green allows for putting as a normal stroke, obstacles like sprinklers or microphone holes may now be considered interference, with officials authorized to grant relief if the ball lies on the line of play.