Six new PGA Tour rules take effect – from relief on fairways and pitch marks to club repairs.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour informed players about five new local model rules, adding one more amendment regarding preferred lies, making a total of six new rules launching next week at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii. Steven Rintoul, PGA Tour Vice President for Rules and Officiating, told golf.com that these are ‘good, sensible outcomes for golf at the highest level.’ The new local model rules, approved by USGA and R&A starting January 1, 2026, continue the modernization of the rules initiated in 2019.
Key New PGA Tour Rules for 2026
Rule 9.4b now penalizes a player with one stroke if they move a resting ball and fail to replace it before their next stroke, even if unaware the ball moved. This differs from the previous two-stroke penalty for playing from a wrong place if the player caused the ball to move. This change stems from an incident involving Shane Lowry at the 2025 Open Championship.
Rule 16.3b allows free relief when a ball lies in a pitch mark made by another player, whereas before relief was only allowed from the player’s own pitch marks. However, repaired pitch marks are not covered by this rule. This change followed repeated incidents, including one involving Lowry at the 2025 Open.
Out of bounds (OB) will only apply when the ball is played from the tee box. Previously, inside boundaries marked by white stakes could be OB regardless of shot origin, sometimes restricting shot options unfairly.
If a ball is not on the putting green but on closely mowed apron areas where putting is common, immovable obstructions such as sprinklers or microphone holes that interfere with the stroke will grant relief under newly clarified Rule 16.1.
Players may now repair damaged clubs during a round using components carried in their bag, such as replacement club heads. This amendment to Rule 4.1b(4) aims to improve efficiency and reduce delays without violating equipment limits.
Additionally, the relief area on poor fairways will be reduced from one club length (approx. 46 inches) to one scorecard length (approx. 11 inches) in preferred lies situations, promoting fairer competition by placing the ball closer to its original position. This applies only under extreme muddy or poor fairway conditions.
Expansion of the PGA Tour Player Equity Program
The PGA Tour has expanded its Player Equity Program to include the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup. The program, which has distributed over $1 billion to more than 200 players, rewards current performance and allows long-term equity participation. Ownership stakes become vested after several years and are based on performance and impact metrics. The number of supported players has increased to over