From the first January 2008 , we have to respect some changes of Golf Rules.

 

- The R12-2 allows now the player to lift a ball even in a hazard, in order to identify it. Consequently, the R15-3, does no longer grant excemption of penalty, if a player plays  the wrong ball even in a hazard.

- The penalty  of the R19-2, for ball accidentally deflected of stopped by himself, his partner or either of the caddies of equipment, is now reduced to one stroke penalty, either in Match play or Stroke play.
 

- There will no longer be a penalty if a player removes the flagstick from the green, seeing that the ball of another player has the risk of touching it.

- The penalty for carrying, but not using a club not conform, has also been reduced : Stroke play - Two strokes for each hole at which the breach occurred with a maximum of  four stroke per round.

 Match play - by deducting one hole for each hole at which a breach occurred, with a

maximum of two hole per round.

- If a ball is played in the wrong place after incorrectly substituting it, penalty is reduced to 2 strokes, instead of four.

- Now the "reasonable evidence" is not enough and It is replaced by « it must be known or virtually certain". So we have to be sure to 99,XX%

- See also the penality « shot and distance »

To avoid a wrong interpretation dues to a translating of these explanations, I invite to read the following web site :

http://www.randa.org/shop/productfiles/RulesofGolfDownload.pdf 


Have Good Golf and Happy New Year