Withdrawal of Rule on Ball Moving After Address
This is the R&A’s second modification to Rule 18-2 in as many editions. In the 2012 edition, the R&A added an exception to avoid punishing a golfer who was not responsible for their ball moving after address;
“If it is known or virtually certain that the player did not cause his ball to move, Rule 18-2b does not apply”
For the 2016 edition, the R&A decided that instead of having an exception Rule 18-2b, they would be better off binning the rule completely.
So Rule 18-2b regarding the Ball Moving After Address is no more, and Rule 18-2a becomes the much neater Rule 18.2.
Nice.
But does this mean there’s no longer a penalty for a ball moving after address? Of course not!
Looking at the current Rule 18-2a you’ll quickly notice it already has this ball-moving-after-address situation covered;
Except as permitted by the Rules; if the player, their partner or either of their caddies causes the ball to move, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke. If the ball has moved, it must be replaced.
In essence, Rule 18-2b was a waste of ink. If you address the ball and the ball moves, you’ll still get penalised – but now it’s under Rule 18-2.
Before you think we’ve similarly waster some valuable pixels discussing a rule change that changes nothing, we’ll note that there is definately a shift in the vibe of our new and improved Rule 18-2.
The 2012 exception was worded in such a way that the player needed to be virtually certain that they did not cause the ball to move to avoid a penalty, and this was not the desired intention of the R&A.
In a news post announcing the withdrawal of Rule 18-2b, they said;
The withdrawal of Rule 18-2b means that there no longer will be any presumption, and that the same overall test in Rule 18-2 will apply to all actions by the player.
In summary, from 2012 to 2015 you had to be virtually certain you were not responsible for your ball moving to avoid a penalty.
From 2016 onwards, you have to be virtually certain you were responsible for moving the ball to be penalised.
That right there, is the presumption of innocence. A pillar of our democracy that was developed by the Romans in the 6th century. Some 1500 years later, it’s been adopted into golf!
And just like they said in Rome, “Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat.”
Or, “proof lies on him who asserts, not on him who denies.”
Basically, you’re innocent until proven guilty. NOW JUST GO AND HIT IT.