Michigan Golf Journal April 2018

Michigan Golf Journal Do you want to sound super ƐŵĂƌƚ͕ ůŝŬĞ Ă ZƵůĞƐ KĸĐŝĂů ŽŶ the golf course? During your next round, simply use the phrase, “Penalty Area.” This is the new term used by the USGA that replaces and encompasses, water hazards and bunkers. So regardless, if it’s sand or water it’s now a ‘penalty area’ in the new rules. Regardless of the name, what ĂĐƟŽŶƐ ĐĂŶ LJŽƵ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵ ŝŶ a bunker, hazard, or penalty area? USGA rule # 13- 4 currently prohibits touching the ground in a hazard with your hand or club; or moving any loose impediment lying in or touching the hazard, plus you are not allowed to ground your club in a penalty area. If your ball is resting against a stick, in bunker or water hazard, you are not given any relief. And don’t let that club hit the ground until you swing. &ĂŝůƵƌĞ ƚŽ ĨŽůůŽǁ ƚŚŝƐ ƌƵůĞ comes with the standard loss ŽĨ ŚŽůĞ ŝŶ ŵĂƚĐŚ ƉůĂLJ ĂŶĚ ƚǁŽͲ stroke penalty in stroke play. That will partially change in 2019 when Rules 12.2a and 12.2b will allow the player to touch or move loose impediments in a bunker and will generally allow the sand to be touched with a hand or club. >ŝŵŝƚĂƟŽŶƐ to this rule include: deliberately touching the sand in a bunker with a hand, club, rake or other object to ƚĞƐƚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶ of the ƐĂŶĚ ƚŽ ůĞĂƌŶ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ĨŽƌ the stroke. Also, touching the sand in a bunker with a club in ŵĂŬŝŶŐ Ă ƉƌĂĐƟĐĞ ƐǁŝŶŐ͕ in grounding the club right in ĨƌŽŶƚ ŽĨ Žƌ ďĞŚŝŶĚ ƚŚĞ ďĂůů͕ Žƌ in making the backswing for a stroke . The USGA also encourages the new rules to be used immediately! ^Ž͕ ƚŚĞ ŶĞdžƚ ƟŵĞ LJŽƵ͛ƌĞ ŝŶ Ă hazard go ahead and move that ůĞĂĨ͊ /Ĩ LJŽƵƌ ĐŽŵƉĞƟƚŽƌ ĐĂůůƐ foul let him know you’re using ƚŚĞ h^' ͛Ɛ ϮϬϭϵ ŵŽĚĞƌŶŝnjĂƟŽŶ rules. UPCOMING RULES CHANGES FOR PENALTY AREAS By Richard Todd