NEW: Rules Of Golf Modified For Coronavirus

With the world in an uncertain place due to the coronavirus outbreak, playing golf seems like something that isn’t high on the priority list. But for those still able to play, rules have been adapted to keep social distancing alive.

While many golf courses have already shut down, including Augusta National and some of the world’s most popular courses, some local clubs are still open but with modified rules. One of the ways courses stay open and still follow social distancing guidelines is by removing holes, or leaving them a bit out of the ground. By making this change, players don’t have to reach into the cup to pick up their ball.

In this scenario, simply hitting the cup is enough to count your putt as going in. One question has been persistent with this change as people want to know if these strokes can be counted towards one’s handicap. The USGA released the “Rules and Handicapping Guidance During COVID-19 Era”, to answer this handicap question and other frequently asked questions.

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In the statement released by the USGA, players who are attempting to use these scores to judge their handicaps are allowed. The statement reads, “In these specific cases, provided guidance from health and governmental officials is being followed, a temporary measure is in place within the United States to accept scores played under these conditions for handicap purposes using the most likely score guidelines, even though the player has not holed out.”

While these rules are being implemented, for the time being, the USGA made it clear that this is only a temporary measure until social distancing guidelines are relaxed. The full statement also describes temporary rule changes regarding the other aspects of the course, including scorecards, bunker rakes, and flagsticks.

In the meantime, this is a good solution for those who are still hitting the course. We hope that the coronavirus pandemic comes to an end as soon as possible and would like to remind those to please remain safe on the golf course!

Cover Image Via Twitter