Harper Lin
Golf is a sport with a long history, but its rules are constantly evolving. The latest updates to the official international rules of golf were made in 2023 by The R&A and USGA, following on from their previous update in 2019. These new rules aim to make the sport more inclusive and accessible, with a particular focus on accommodating players with disabilities. While there are no major official rule changes in 2025, several other bodies, such as the PGA Tour, are introducing modifications to the game. This evolution of the rules of golf ensures the sport remains relevant, fair, and competitive.
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What You'll Learn
Modifications for players with disabilities
The USGA and The R&A have been working to make the Rules of Golf easier to understand and apply for all golfers, with a particular focus on making the sport more inclusive and welcoming for golfers with disabilities.
Modifications to the Rules for players with disabilities are now in effect for all players who are classified in the categories covered in Rule 25. These modifications allow players with specific disabilities to play fairly with players without disabilities, or those with different disabilities.
Rule 25 applies to all competitions and forms of play. It is the player's category of disability and eligibility that determines whether they can use the specific modified Rules. The categories of disability covered by Rule 25 include:
- Blindness or visual impairment
- Amputees (including limb deficiencies)
- Intellectual disabilities
The modifications to the Rules for players with disabilities include:
- Rule 25.2 allows a blind player to be assisted by both an aide and a caddie at the same time, and allows help with aiming and lifting, dropping, placing and replacing a ball.
- Rule 25.3 allows an amputee player to use a prosthetic device and make a stroke while anchoring the club, and also allows help with dropping, placing and replacing a ball.
- Rule 14.1b is modified so that a player's aide, in addition to their caddie, may lift the ball without the player's authorization when their ball lies on the putting green.
- Rule 4.3b states that the use of an artificial arm or leg is permitted provided the player has a medical reason to use it and the Committee decides that its use does not give the player an unfair advantage.
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Handicap usage in stroke play
Golf's governing bodies, the USGA and The R&A, have been working to modernise the rules of golf to make them easier to understand and more accessible to all golfers, including those with disabilities. The new rules, which came into effect on January 1, 2023, include changes to handicap usage in stroke play.
With the growth of score-posting technology and the adoption of the World Handicap System, players are no longer penalised for failing to include their handicap on their scorecard in stroke play. The committee overseeing the competition or course is now responsible for ensuring the accuracy of each player's handicap.
Handicap strokes are used in golf to equalise the abilities of players at different skill levels. In stroke play, players subtract their handicap strokes from their scores throughout the round. To determine which holes a player can use their handicap strokes on, they can refer to the "Handicap" or "HCP" row or column on the scorecard, which ranks the holes from most difficult to least difficult. The player then applies their handicap strokes to the corresponding number of holes on the handicap row. For example, if a player has four handicap strokes, they would use those strokes on the four holes ranked as the most difficult.
When two golfers with different handicaps are playing match play, the proper way to allocate strokes is to subtract the lower handicap from the higher and assign the difference to the weaker player. In other words, the better golfer (lower handicap) plays off scratch, while the weaker golfer is the only one who uses handicap strokes. For example, if Golfer A has a course handicap of 14 and Golfer B has a course handicap of 10, Golfer B gets zero strokes and Golfer A gets four strokes.
It is important to note that stroke hole allocations for men and women should be different due to variations in equalising holes. However, having separate allocations for each gender is the most practical and easiest option for players, even when there are multiple sets of tees.
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Time limits for taking shots
While there is no formal shot clock in golf, there are rules and recommendations in place regarding the time taken between shots. The USGA and The R&A have introduced rules to modernise golf and make them more accessible and easier to understand for golfers at all levels of play.
One of the key recommendations is to play "ready golf", where each stroke should ideally be taken in no more than 40 seconds. This is to prevent slow play and ensure a steady pace for all players. While there is no penalty for breaching this guideline, it is considered good etiquette to be mindful of the time taken for each shot.
In addition to the 40-second recommendation, there are other time-related rules. For instance, if a ball is lost, players have three minutes to search for it before it is considered lost, and continuing the search after this time will result in a penalty. If a player is delayed due to an unusual occurrence, such as an injury or being hit by a golf ball, they are allowed a recovery period of up to 15 minutes before it is considered a breach of pace of play.
Golf courses and event committees also have some discretion in setting time limits and penalties for their specific competitions. They can establish rules for scorecard submissions, where players have a set time to return and fix any mistakes on their scorecards after exiting the scoring area. This flexibility allows organisers to manage the pace of play and ensure a smooth flow for all participants.
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Rules for caddies
The role of a caddie is to help during a round to carry, transport, or handle clubs and/or give advice. A caddie may also help in other ways allowed by the rules.
A caddie may lift and replace a player's ball on the putting green without needing specific authorization to do so. However, a caddie is not allowed to stand on a line behind the player while they are taking their stance and until their stroke is made.
Caddies can point out the line of play for the ball anywhere except on the putting green. If it is on the putting green, the caddie must move away before the stroke is made.
Caddies are not permitted to set an object down on or off the putting green to show the player's line of play. This is not allowed even if the object is removed before the stroke is made.
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Committees and scorecards
One of the notable changes in the rules regarding committees and scorecards is the flexibility given to committees in defining when a scorecard is officially returned. Previously, there were stricter guidelines, but now committees can set a time limit for corrections. This means that after a player leaves the scoring area, they have a defined period to review and correct any mistakes on their scorecard before it is officially submitted. This update gives committees more control over the scorecard process while providing players with more leeway to ensure accuracy before their scores are finalised.
In terms of the procedures, committees should refer to the Committee Procedures section of the Official Guide to the Rules of Golf. It is recommended that committees do not reprint scorecards or finalise their Terms of Competition until the Committee Procedures for the current year are available. This ensures that the latest recommended wording for Local Rules is followed and avoids confusion between different versions of the rules.
Additionally, there have been changes to the rules regarding handicap display and calculation. As of 2023, players are no longer required to show their handicap on their scorecard. Instead, competition committees are responsible for calculating a player's handicap strokes, removing the risk of disqualification for failing to display a handicap. However, it is important to note that local rules may vary, and some clubs may bring in a Local Rule that shifts the responsibility for handicap display back to the player.
While the focus here is on committees and scorecards, it is worth noting that rule changes in golf encompass various aspects of the game, including equipment, player conduct, and administration. For example, in 2025, there were updates to the rules regarding damaged clubs, allowing players to replace significantly damaged clubs during a round, as long as the replacement is of the same type.
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Frequently asked questions
Modifications have been made to the rules for players with disabilities, which are now in effect for all players classified under Rule 25.
With the continued growth of score-posting technology, players are no longer penalised for failing to put their handicap on their scorecard in stroke play.
A new exception states that a ball at rest must be replaced if it moves to another area of the course or comes to rest outside the "general area".
The procedure has been simplified so that the player now drops their ball on the line, and it must come to rest within one club-length of where it is dropped.
