New golf rules 2020: the most important changes

SportsNew golf rules 2020: the most important changes

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The sporting destination of the Costa del Sol is synonymous with golf. We are lucky enough to have over 70 golf courses in a small area. This makes it a popular holiday destination for golfers who want to play several fantastic courses during their visit. Sotogrande boasts five fantastic golf courses, including our 18-hole championship course at La Reserva Club and the home of the Andalucía Masters and Volvo Match Play Valderrama.

Now in 2020, we’re looking ahead to the new golf rules that are coming into force this year and reviewing some of the major changes that have been applied. It’s a good idea to have these clear to ensure they don’t impact your game in 2020.

A new universal system for handicapping is launching in November 2020 which normalises the differences between the six different systems currently in place. The concept is to make the game of golf easier to understand, so more new players will enter the game. It will also be helpful for golfers that like to travel and experience the best golf courses around the world, as these new rules will allow your handicap to be portable, so it will be the same wherever you play.

These new golf rules for 2020 are aimed at making the game more enjoyable and will include a course and slope rating and the minimum number of scores required to obtain a handicap. The maximum handicap will be set at 54, and it will be calculated from an average of recent scores. There will also be adjustments for abnormal course and weather adjustments, to not put a handicap at risk due to extreme weather conditions.

Víctor García, the Pro at our golf academy at La Reserva Club commented, “It is a great initiative, it will adjust the handicap in a more precise way for each player. Furthermore, golfers will play under the same handicap system, regardless the golf course location they play”.

2019 also saw an overhaul to the rules as part of the Rules Modernisation Initiative. If you haven’t played this year, but are planning a golf holiday for the new year, make sure you are up to date. These changes include no penalty for accidentally moving your ball during a search, or on the putting green, or if your ball is accidentally deflected by you, your equipment or your caddie. There are also new procedures for dropping a ball and taking lateral and back-on-the-line relief.

If you are coming to play golf in Sotogrande in 2020, and aren’t familiar with these new rules, don’t worry. We are famous for our award winning service and our helpful team can advise you of all the new golf rules and how they will impact your game. You could even book in for a session at our on-site academy, run by the legend Manuel Piñero, to improve your skills and ensure that you’re incorporating the rule changes from 2019, as well as understanding the new handicap system.

You can find out more about golf in Sotogrande and the incredible facilities at La Reserva Club on our website. You can also book a tee time for your next visit online.

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