So the USGA has issued this handy-dandy crib sheet for all the new rules that went into effect this year.
THE GOOD:
A) Ball hits player or gear = no penalty
B) Double hitting the ball incurs only one stroke penalty, not two
C) You can remove loose impediments in hazards
D) Ball moves after being marked = no penalty
E) You can fix all ball marks and spike marks
F) You can putt with the flag in
G) Ball wedged against flagstick counts as holed
THE SO-SO:
A) You can drop a ball outside of a bunker, if you choose, at the cost of two strokes.
B) You can ground your club in a hazard (but so can your opponent)
C) Searching for lost ball now only five minutes (screws you, but speeds up play)
THE BAD:
Any rule where “intent” comes into play, such as:
A) Ball moved during “search” = no penalty (“OOPS! I didn’t mean to move that!” – and then you get into you did/I didn’t arguments with re creating the original terrible he had before he “accidentally” moved it.)
B) Ditto for “touching the sand incidentally,” and “ball accidentally moved on putting green,” (you can read the break as it “accidentally” rolls).
