Six new PGA Tour rules come into effect, covering fairway relief, pitchmarks, and club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour informed players of five new local model rules, adding one more regarding preferred lies. This brings the total to six new rules starting next week at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii. PGA Tour Vice President for Rules and Officials Steven Rintoul told golf.com, ‘Good, sensible outcomes for golf at the highest level.’ He added that these new local model rules, adopted by the USGA and R&A effective January 1, 2026, continue the modernization process 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
Under Rule 9.4b, a player receives 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. The penalty is one stroke, and the player will not be penalized for playing from a wrong place (Rule 14.7a – two strokes) if it is later determined they caused the ball movement.
If a player realizes the ball moved, does not replace it, and plays from the new location, the general penalty under Rule 14.7a applies for playing from a wrong place. Similarly, if it later becomes evident a player moved the ball but mistakenly thought no replacement was required, they still receive the Rule 14.7a penalty.
This new rule arose from an incident involving Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, where he accidentally moved the ball during a practice swing at the 12th hole without noticing. After the round, officials reviewed televised footage and assessed a two-stroke penalty. Lowry found the penalty ‘hard to accept’ but accepted it without dispute.
Relief Without Penalty Now Allowed for Ball Resting in Another Player’s Pitchmark
The next rule change concerns balls resting in pitchmarks made by competitors. Previously, penalty-free relief applied only if the ball lay in the player’s own pitchmark. Now, under Rule 16.3b, a player may receive relief if an official determines the ball rests in a pitchmark below ground level caused by another player’s stroke. Repaired pitchmarks – whether accidentally or intentionally fixed by club, object, foot, or maintenance equipment – are excluded from this and considered repaired.
Repeated occurrences, including Shane Lowry’s 2025 Open Championship incident where his ball landed in a pitchmark but relief was denied, highlight the rule’s significance. Lowry subsequently missed his approach shot and expressed frustration over the decision on the turf.
“Out of Bounds” Applies Only When Ball Is Played from Tee
To curb players from gaining unfair advantages by using fairways of other holes as shortcuts, internal out-of-bounds boundaries marked by white stakes now apply only when the ball is played from the tee. In the past, these boundaries restricted players when navigating hazards, sometimes preventing them from chipping back to the fairway. This rule change eliminates such restrictions during play from other positions.