2019 Rule: Rule 1.2a will consolidate the expected standards of player conduct:
- It will declare that players are expected to play in the spirit of the game by acting with integrity, showing consideration to others and taking good care of the course.
- It will unequivocally state the Committee’s authority to disqualify a player for any serious misconduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game.
- In place of the unclear concept of “breach of etiquette”, it will use the more direct and stronger phrases “misconduct” and “serious misconduct.”
Rule 1.2b will also give the Committee authority to adopt its own Code of Conduct and to set penalties for its breach (see Explanation for Proposed Rule Change – Code of Player Conduct).
Reasons for Change:
Golf is a sport in which high standards of conduct are expected from players, and the Rules should declare this in a clear and direct way.
Although the current Rule book has a separate Etiquette Section that covers the most important aspects of the spirit of the game:
- The priorities and emphasis of the section are unclear, as it also includes more general recommendations on a variety of topics, and
- The section does not have the force of Rules or naturally form part of a Committee’s powers.
Using Rule 1.2a to explain playing in the spirit of the game will help in:
- Giving more prominence to the expectation that all players will act with integrity, show consideration to others and take good care of the course, and
- Setting expectations so that players are on notice that serious misconduct in failing to meet those expectations could lead to disqualification.