The R&A and USGA have announced and published an update to the Rules of Golf to further facilitate their understanding and application. As previously reported by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, the new Rules will come into effect on January 1, 2023.

Download the infographic with the five key changes

The 2023 edition continues the modernization process begun in 2019, with an emphasis on inclusion and sustainability. For the first time, the amended Rules for disabled players have been fully incorporated into the Rules of Golf without the need to adopt a local rule for their implementation.

The Rules governing bodies will also promote digital access to the Rules via apps, significantly reducing the production and distribution of more than four million printed books. Several breaches have been relaxed and the language clarified to help golfers of all skill levels.

The most relevant changes include:

– Modifications for disabled players: The modifications to the Rules for disabled players have become part of the Rules and are in force for all players who are included in the categories contained in Rule 25.

– Use of handicap in stroke play: With the continued growth of digital scoring systems following the adoption of the World Handicap System, players are no longer required to record their handicap on their scorecard in stroke play. The Committee will calculate the player's handicap strokes for the competition and use them to calculate the player's net score.

– Club damaged during the round: The Rule has been amended to allow a player to replace a club damaged during a round, provided that the player did not damage it through abuse.

– Ball moved by natural forces: A new exception states that a ball at rest must be replaced if it moves to another area of the course or is going to come to rest out of bounds after being dropped, placed or replaced.

– Back-line relief procedure: The back-line relief procedure, often used for relief from a penalty area and an unplayable ball, has been simplified so that the player must now drop their ball on the line, and the ball must come to rest within one club-length of the place where it has been dropped.

The Rules Committee of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation will make the main changes and the new Rules of Golf for 2023 available to all members through the official website.

Full updates to the official Rules of Golf digital applications will be available from January 1st.

Players are reminded that the current edition of the Rules of Golf (2019) remains applicable when playing or recording scores for the remainder of 2022.