The R&A Publishes revisions to the Rules of Golf Book

The R&A, golf’s world rules and development body and organiser of The Open Championship, today publishes revisions to the world’s most widely read rule book, The Rules of Golf, and extends its sponsorship arrangement with Rolex to 2012.
Golf has 34 playing rules and in 2008, 28 have been amended to a greater or lesser extent. All changes are agreed, jointly, by The R&A and the United States Golf Association, and can be characterised as improving clarity or reducing penalties to ensure that they are proportionate. They are effective from 1 January 2008.
Of the more significant changes, the most likely to be encountered by golfers in regular play are: revised Rule 12-2 allowing a player to lift a ball in a bunker or water hazard for identification purposes. There is a consequential change to Rule 15-3, which introduces a penalty for playing the wrong ball in these circumstances.
Revised Rule 4-1 reduces the penalty for carrying, but not using, a non-conforming club from disqualification to, in stroke play, a penalty of two strokes per hole, with a maximum penalty of four strokes per round.
In match play, the state of the match is adjusted by deducting one hole for each hole at which a breach occurred, with a maximum penalty of two holes per round.
Revised Rule 19-2 reduces the penalty for the accidental deflection of the ball by the player, his partner, their caddies or equipment to one penalty stroke in both match and stroke play.
Commenting on the revisions to The Rules of Golf, R&A Director of Rules and Equipment Standards, David Rickman said:
“We always aim to make the Rules readily accessible to golfers worldwide and the simpler, clearer language of the 2008 edition is designed to make them easier for players to use.”
“The introduction of a Quick Guide to The Rules at the front of the Rule book will, we hope, encourage players to carry a Rule book with them on the course and to refer to it, when necessary."
Rolex sponsored the 30th revision of the Rules of Golf in 2004 and have renewed their commitment to supporting the publication through to 2012.
The R&A is planning to produce 4 million copies of the rule book in English while Golf Unions affiliated to The R&A, reproduce the Rules of Golf under license in more than twenty five other languages, ranging from Arabic to Thai.
Companion publications to The R&A Rules of Golf, Decisions on the Rules of Golf 2008 - 2009 and Golf Rules Illustrated 2008 are published next month (November 2007) by Hamlyn and are available from The R&A, high street and online bookstores.

Copies of the new R&A Rules of Golf will be distributed free of charge to golf clubs around the world and can be requested or downloaded from The R&A website: R&A Website

The Wednesday Bounce Game

Powered by GoodWidgets.com

The autumn / winter bounce games started today with 17 people turning up for the 9:30 ballot. We had 3 threes and 2 fours and played from 1 - 6 and cut across to the 12th and played all the way in. The team of Margaret Parrott, Morag Thomson and Eileen Walker were the winners with 32 points (one score to count) Lunch followed and the chat was enjoyed by all.
PLEASE DO COME AND JOIN US ON A WEDNESDAY MORNING -- IT'S GOOD FUN AND KEEPS YOU SWINGING !!

Final Swing

10/10/07 Final Swing [non qualifying score] SSS 73
Scratch A.Judge 79
Silver N.MacGadie 71[10] bih S.Smyth 71 [12]
Bronze E.Walker 69 [36] P.Wilson71 [36]

Greenlees Lunch and Presentation

Fiona Roger, Carol Fell, Anne Robinson and Sarah Eckford attended the annual Greenlees Lunch and Presentation at Prestwick St Nicholas today. To read all about it go to West of Scotland Website

The Ladies Section congratulate Gregor, Murray and Colin

Ranfurly Castle, represented by Gregor Munro, Murray Stewart and Colin Haddow, won the Manor Oak Scottish Club Championship at Glenbervie Golf Club on Sunday (28 September) in a tight finish with the host club trio of Andrew Wallace, Mark Hislop and Andrew Lynch, and also St Andrews New Club (Kevin Weir, Rhodri Price and Greg Paterson).

At the end of the first round, Ranfurly Castle (140) were two shots ahead of St Andrews New and Glenbervie but they could not shake off their challengers and after a further 18 holes, Ranfurly Castle’s total of 282 earned them the title by a single shot from Glenbervie who took second place after a card countback against St Andrews New who had the same total of 283.

Ranfurly Castle GC will now represent Scotland in the European Club Cup which will take place in Greece in November.

The Ladies section send their warmest congratulations to you all and wish you all the best in the European finals in Greece

SLGA Roadshow - Future Structure and Governance

Fiona Roger and Carol Fell represented the ladies section at the SLGA Road Show on its future structure and governance. This event was held Haggs Castle Golf Club yesterday. Ranfurly Castle's Pamela MacKenzie who is Chairman of County Golf introduced the meeting and Shona Malcolm who is chairman of the SLGA Business Development Group held the presentation.


Shona is also on the One Plan for Golf Steering Group, an SLGA Board Member and sits on the clubgolf Board to represent the interests of the SLGA - She is also an LGU Councillor.
A very interesting and informative meeting took place with plenty of discussion at the end
To read and see all the topics discussed click on this link SLGA Presentation

If you have any queries on the content of the roadshow, please let Pamela know and she will pass on your queries to Shona who will try to to address them

October Medal --- Lesley Robertson has a great score

3/10/07 10 entries SSS 73 CSS 73 alt/76 R/O - main day
Scratch L Robertson 71 (3)
Silver L Robertson 68 (3), S Gray 77 (19)
Bronze M Muirhead 79 (25), J Will 83 (23)