Did you see the three new rules of Golf as announced by the USGA, effective 1/1/12? If you don’t golf or you are a cheat and you don’t obey the rules – shame on you – either way don’t bother to read on.

The full and complete rules are in the website from the Florida State Golf Association at the end of this short Uncle Larry review.

The one that is most needed and makes the most sense is the rule and subsequent penalty when the wind moves the ball after you have addressed it. For non-golfers we are not talking about an e-mail address or a website. Once you have set up to make your putt and you have touched the ground with your putter – “addressing the ball” – it is no longer a penalty if the wind blows you ball. I believe this is an excellent change and should make the game fairer and speed up play.

If I am reading the second rule change correctly you can now rake a bunker before hitting your sand shot – provided that doing so does not improve your lie in any way but simply improves course condition.

Finally, if you are late for your tee time in an “official” event by less than five minutes you are no longer disqualified. In Match Play you lose one hole and in stroke play its a two stroke penalty. Will they call this the Jim Furyck Rule?

Uncle Larry http://www.fsga.org/marketing/fgn/2011/NovGHIN/rules_nov01.asp