Columnist Peter Benton: Rule changes for 2004 could affect your game

Peter Benton

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2003 | 9:26 a.m.

Peter Benton's golf column appears Wednesday.

The Royal & Ancient and the United States Golf Association recently met to jointly review -- and clarify for use worldwide -- the Rules of Golf. They came up with all sorts of changes, some relatively minor and others quite significant.

Such changes are implemented every four years and the changes made this year are the most extensive in 20 years. All new rulings go into effect Jan. 1.

The USGA is the governing body of golf in the United States and Mexico, while the R&A is the governing body for golf outside the USGA's jurisdiction.

One of the major changes is that a golfer may now use any means to remove loose impediments from the line of their putt, provided nothing is pressed down. In addition, there is no longer an automatic penalty in either match play or stroke play if a ball off the putting green moves after a loose impediment within a club length of the ball has been moved.

Another change, and this could very well affect the bad tempered person (and there's always a couple) is that our local committee now has the latitude to disqualify a golfer in tournament play because of a serious breach of etiquette.

Additionally, two equipment proposals have been adopted as part of the Rules for 2004. (This is extremely important as the drivers now being offered to the general public seem to be increasing in size every other month.) A size limit of 460cc, plus 10cc for measurement tolerance will be placed on clubheads, along with two dimensional controls.

The first control limits the length between the heel and toe of the clubhead to 5 inches, while the second control places a 2.8-inch limit on the height between the sole and crown of the clubhead. There is also a limit of 48 inches on all club lengths, with the exception of putters.

A one-year grace period will be granted for clubs already in use before 2004, for both the new club length and clubhead size limits, until Dec. 31, 2004.

Changes in both language and format also have been made throughout the Rules. Language (thank goodness) was updated for consistency and for easier understanding by golfers. This new formatting makes the new edition so much easier to use.

The changes, and there are many, are part of the new 2004-2005 Rules of Golf. Books may be ordered by calling the USGA. Order Department at (800) 336-4446 or by visiting your local pro shops in early December.

One change that will thrill competitive amateur golfers is that as part of the Rules of Amateur Status, the prize limit has increased from $500 to $750.

Bottom line here is to purchase a new Rules Book and read it thoroughly; if you do not it could very well cost you strokes, or your match.

The fifth playing of the biennial match-play event is this week at The Links Course at Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate in George, South Africa.

Previous President's Cup Honorary Chairmen have been Gerald Ford, U.S. President in 1994; George H.W. Bush, U.S. President, 1996; John Howard, Australia Prime Minister, 1998; Bill Clinton, U.S. President, 2000, and this year, Thabo Mbeki, Republic of South Africa President.