Major Changes to Amateur Golf Rules Approved: What You Need to Know | Golf news and tour information

The rules for amateur status will be different from January 1, 2022. Yet there will be little for the vast majority of everyday amateur golfers being different except for the fact that the prize limits have been increased to $ 250 and can be withdrawn in cash under certain circumstances.

USGA and R&A officials on Tuesday unveiled the finished product of their four-year modernization initiative, which is redefining what amateurs can / cannot do to better reflect the modern game and to make the rules easier to understand and apply. Most importantly, amateurs are now allowed to receive money to cover their expenses with no restrictions or prohibitions. In addition, amateurs can earn money with their name, image and likeness.

In the short term, the biggest beneficiaries of the relaxed rules will benefit from top national and international players – those whose golfing skills would enable them to be compensated for supporting, promoting and promoting products and services. Since all previous bans will be lifted, there will be no ambiguity about what is allowed and what is not. The era of Lucy Li being “warned” about appearing in an Apple Watch ad that threatened her amateur status is over.

In the long term, it is hoped that the changes will allow aspiring golfers to reach their true potential due to the financial troubles associated with travel and tournaments to continue playing the game without certain financial worries.

“Playing tournaments and traveling is expensive. Breaking the barriers to both ad access and promotion provides an opportunity to raise funds and manage the cost side of things, ”said Craig Winter, USGA senior director, Rules of Golf and Amateur Status. “So, looking 10 years into the future, we believe these changes will ultimately set the stage for our US amateurs regional events, possibly some international competitions outside of the United States, to look more inclusive because these younger players are at den The local level will be able to get support, will be able to move on to the regional level and so on. That’s the biggest change in what people are going to see. [But] that will take a while. “

The relaxation of such restrictions, says Winter, recognizes the current reality that amateur golf, at least at the highest level, is an advancement for those who want to become tournament professionals. It is also an acknowledgment that some rules remain necessary to protect the integrity of amateur play for the remaining millions of golfers who will never become tour professionals. The USGA and R&A initially looked to see if all of the amateur code should be scrapped, but the request revealed that doing so would be detrimental to the game at the club level. It would also result in the loss of significant amateur events that would negatively affect the development of young golfers.

During the feedback phase, after the rule changes were first proposed in February, the message was made clear that the amateur game culture is strong and vibrant at a broad level, including the significant changes that would apply to elite players.

“What we want to roll out here at the end of the year and come into force in 2022 will, in our opinion, continue to make this possible.” [club and course] Part of the game to thrive, “says Winter,” while others can still move on to the next phase more seamlessly than they are today. “

Some prohibitions will remain in the rules: Amateurs cannot accept compensation for giving instructions (with a few notable exceptions), club or driving range professional employment, or membership in an association of professional golfers. They cannot participate in golf competitions as professionals and may accept a prize up to a certain nominal limit.

However, this limit has been increased to $ 1,000 (£ 700 in the UK) and the type of win has been changed to allow amateurs to accept cash prizes in limited situations. According to Winter, the fact that amateurs participating in “scratch” competitions accept cash prizes collected during the feedback period again reflects the development that amateur golf is offering to young men and women aspiring to tour professionals. Cash restrictions remain on what the USGA / R&A calls “handicap” competitions, such as club events with flighting brackets or net results, which determine the winners; Allowing cash payments at these events, Winters says, would put additional pressure on golf rules and handicap rules, which explains the difference.

In terms of unlimited opportunities for players to make money using their name, image, and likeness, the new USGA / R&A rules align with the NIL bans lifted earlier this year at the NCAA level and cater to college golfers the opportunity to explore new opportunities without compromising the uncertainty of their college entrance qualification and / or their amateur status. The USGA / R&A had already begun to allow college golfers to do this earlier this summer and to anticipate the permanent changes to the amateur rules with a handful of participants in the US amateur with logos of sponsors. Stanford sophomore Rachel Heck, reigning NCAA individual champion and player of the year, recently announced she’d signed with Excel Sports to help explore NIL opportunities.

“It really makes it very easy for the elite player or the aspiring player. It’s very easy to do what they want,” said Winter. “We think getting out of the way is a really good thing, and not just for the players who play with this elite.” [college] Level, but since we’ve talked about it it’s more about the local golfer getting local support.

If anything, the NCAA currently has more restrictions since the USGA / R&A cleared all boundaries for NIL usage.

Education of the new rules will begin immediately, with the USGA being assisted in this effort by allied golfing associations.

“This code is mainly about relaxing what is currently restricted. So even if the golfer gets into the next year and the rules, which are fairly easy to understand and use, aren’t entirely up to date, they won’t accidentally break those rules. Winter says. “You are simply not going to take full advantage of the opportunities that arise. So we feel good about not reaching everyone even though we try, they are fine anyway because they will catch up without suddenly realizing that they have lost their amateur status by doing something they thought they were doing that they are currently allowed to. “