NCGA CHANGES to RULES of GOLF for 2008

Generally, the changes fall Into two categories - those that improve the clarity of the rules and those that reduce the penalties in certain circumstances to ensure that they are proportionate The most significant changes for 2008 are as follow:

Rule 12-2. IDENTIFYING BALL - Amended to allow a player to lift his ball for identification in a hazard, both water and sand bunker. (The ball can be cleaned only enough to identify it and then replaced.) If the player lifts his ball in order to identify when it is not necessary to do so, he incurs a penalty of one stroke.

Rule 15-3. WRONG BALL - Amended to remove the exemption from playing a wrong ball in a hazard. If the player plays the wrong ball from a hazard, he incurs a penalty two strokes.

Rule 19-2. BALL IN MOTION DEFLECTED or STOPPED by PLAYER OR EQUIPMENT - Amended to reduce the penalty to one stroke.

Rule 24-1. MOVABLE OBSTRUCTION - Amended to allow a flagstick, whether attended, removed or held up, to be moved when a ball is in motion even if it could influence the movement of the ball.

Rule 24-3. (For a ball in an obstruction). Rule 25-1c. (For a ball in an abnormal ground condition). Rule 26-1. (For a ball in a water hazard). It must be known or virtually certain that the ball went into one of these conditions. If that standard Is NOT met regarding a ball that has not been found, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1, (Lost Ball) incurring the penalty of stroke and distance .

These are the rules changes that we believe will have the most immediate effect on the play of TCMGC members. There are other changes but they are more for clarification than actual impact on the rules.

Rules Committee Timber Creek Mens Golf Club

12/11/2007

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