Six new PGA Tour rules come into effect, covering fairway relief, pitch marks, and club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour informed players about five new local model rules and added a change on preferred lies. The season starts next week at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii, with a total of six new rules. Steven Rintoul, PGA Tour Vice President of Rules and Officiating, told golf.com: ‘Good, sensible outcomes for the game of golf at the highest level.’ He explained that the new local model rules, adopted by the USGA and R&A as of January 1, 2026, continue the modernization of the rulebook 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 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. This results in a penalty stroke, but the player is not considered to have played from a wrong place (Rule 14.7a – two penalty strokes) if it later becomes known that they caused the ball to move.
If the player notices the ball has 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. If it later emerges that a player caused the ball to move, but mistakenly assumed it did not and should not be replaced, the general penalty under Rule 14.7a also applies.
This rule originated from an incident involving Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open Championship in Royal Portrush, where during a practice swing on the 12th hole, he slightly moved his ball without realizing it. After the round, officials applied a two-stroke penalty after reviewing video 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
Another amendment concerns when a player’s ball rests in another player’s pitch mark. Previously, penalty-free relief was only granted if the ball rested in the player’s own pitch mark. Now, Rule 16.3b allows a player to take relief without penalty if an official confirms the ball lies in a pitch mark below ground level made by another player’s stroke. However, repaired pitch marks are exempt from this rule, meaning relief is denied if the mark has been repaired intentionally or accidentally, regardless of repair quality or completeness. Examples include marks fixed with a club, other objects, or foot. Even if a greenkeeper has passed over the pitch mark with a mower but a depression remains visible, it counts as repaired.
Due to repeated incidents of this kind, including Shane Lowry’s similar situation at the 2025 Open Championship where officials denied his relief request, causing him to miss an approach shot and visibly express frustration on the turf he had played from.
“Out of Bounds” Now Only Applies from the Tee
Many PGA players have exploited fairways of other holes as shortcuts during tournaments. The rule now stip