Six new PGA Tour rules take effect, ranging from fairway relief and pitch marks to club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour informed players about five new local model rules and added a rule modification regarding preferred lies. Thus, the season kicks off next week at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii, with six new rules in total. Steven Rintoul, PGA Tour Vice President for Rules and Officiating, told golf.com these were good, sensible developments for high-level golf. He explained that these local model rules, adopted by the USGA and R&A effective January 1, 2026, continue the modernization of the Rules of Golf that began in 2019.
Below we present the new rules and local model rules, outlining the reasons behind the decisions:
New Golf Rule Clarifies Penalties for Unintended Ball Movement
According to Rule 9.4b, a player receives a penalty stroke if they move their resting ball and fail to replace it before their next stroke, even if they were unaware the ball moved or could move. The player does not play from a wrong 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. Even if it later emerges a player caused the ball’s movement but mistakenly thought they had not and should replace it, they receive the general penalty under Rule 14.7a.
The rule stems from a case involving Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, who during a practice swing at hole 12 marginally moved his ball without noticing. After the round, rules officials assessed a two-stroke penalty after lengthy deliberation aided by video evidence. Lowry found the penalty hard to accept but accepted it without dispute.
Relief Without Penalty Now Allowed If Ball Lies in Another Player’s Pitch Mark
Another rule change concerns when a player’s ball rests in another player’s pitch mark. Previously, penalty-free relief was only allowed if the ball was in the player’s own pitch mark. Now, under Rule 16.3b, a player can take relief without penalty if a rules official confirms the ball lies below ground level in a pitch mark caused by another player’s stroke. A repaired pitch mark remains unaffected by this rule regardless of repair quality and method, such as repaired by club, other means, foot, or even maintenance equipment like a mower if a depression is still visible.
This change comes after repeated incidents including one again involving Shane Lowry during the 2025 Open Championship where his ball landed in a pitch mark in round two, and officials denied his relief request. Lowry missed the next shot and expressed frustration over the ruling at