Six new PGA Tour rules come into effect, covering fairway relief, pitch marks, and club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour announced five new local model rules to players, adding an additional change concerning preferred lies. This brings a total of six new rules starting next week at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii. Steven Rintoul, the PGA Tour’s Vice President of Rules and Officials, told golf.com that these are \”good, sensible outcomes for golf at the highest level.\” He explained that the new local model rules, approved by USGA and R&A from January 1, 2026, continue the modernization of the rules which started in 2019.
Below we present the new rules and local model rules, explaining the rationale behind them:
New Golf Rule Clarifies Penalties for Unintentional Ball Movements
According to Rule 9.4b, a player receives a one-stroke penalty if they move their resting ball and fail to replace it before their next stroke, despite not knowing the ball moved or could have moved. However, the player does not play from an incorrect place (Rule 14.7a – two penalty strokes) if it later becomes known they caused the ball’s movement.
If the player notices the ball has moved, does not replace it, and plays from the new spot, they incur the general penalty under Rule 14.7a for playing from the wrong place. Also, if it later emerges that a player caused the ball to move but mistakenly believed they hadn’t and should not replace it, they receive the general penalty under Rule 14.7a.
This rule change stems from an incident involving Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open Championship in Royal Portrush, where during a practice swing at the 12th hole, he slightly moved the ball without realizing it. After the round, rules officials assessed a two-stroke penalty after reviewing footage. Lowry described the penalty as \”hard to accept\” but accepted it without dispute.
Relief Without Penalty Now Allowed When Ball Lies in Another Player’s Pitch Mark
The next rule change applies when a player’s ball comes to rest within another player’s pitch mark. Previously, penalty-free relief was only available if the ball lay within the player’s own pitch mark. Now, under Rule 16.3b, a player may claim relief without penalty if a rules official confirms the ball lies in a pitch mark below ground level caused by another player’s stroke. Repaired pitch marks, whether repaired intentionally or accidentally—regardless of quality or completeness—do not count under this rule. This includes repairs made with a club, foot, or other tools. Even if a greenkeeper has mowed over the pitch mark leaving a visible indentation, it is considered repaired.
Due to repeated incidents, including again with Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open