Ready Golf: Major Rule Changes for 2019

Since 1 March 2018, the Club has adopted ‘Ready Golf’ in accordance with the United States Golf Association (USGA) for a positive impact on the pace of play. The list of changes can be found on the USGA website, but for now we bring you the major changes that you should take note of. These changes will be adopted from 1 January 2019.

Rule 5.6 will encourage prompt pace of play by recommending that:

Players should recognize that their pace of play affects others and they should play promptly throughout the round (such as by preparing in advance for each stroke and moving promptly between strokes and in going to the next tee),
A player should make a stroke in no more than 40 seconds (and usually in less time) after the player is able to play without interference or distraction, and
Committees should adopt a Pace of Play Policy (rather than only say they may do so).

New Rule 6.4

In addition, new Rule 6.4 will expressly allow playing out of turn in match play by agreement, and for stroke play, will affirmatively allow and encourage players to play out of turn in a safe and responsible way to save time or for convenience (also known as “ready golf”).

Reasons for Change:

By giving players affirmative guidance, support and encouragement on prompt play, these proposed Rule changes will help in:

Setting expectations for both beginners and experienced players on what types of behavior are considered prompt play, including the maximum amount of time it should normally take to make a stroke, and
Encouraging players to play faster by confirming that it is proper to play out of turn in stroke play when it is safe and responsible to do so (that is, to play “ready golf”).

Enforcing pace of play will continue to be primarily up to each Committee, as there are limits to what the Rules themselves can do to insist that players play promptly. These changes will enable Committees to point to specific expectations set by the Rules when using their authority to enforce prompt play, and encourage every Committee to adopt a pace of play policy so that all players on the course, whatever the type or level of play, will know what is expected of them.

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