In March 2017, the U.S. Golf Association and R&A released several proposed changes to the rules, asking for feedback from the golf community. Some proposed rules have been tweaked or further clarified, and will go into effect January 1, 2019. Beginning in 2012, the U.S. Golf Association and R&A started a process to modernize the…

Golf’s governing bodies will now assign one or more officials to monitor video broadcasts of competitions to help identify possible rules issues. The additional two-stroke penalty for failing to include a penalty on a scorecard when a player was unaware of the infraction will also be eliminated.

Mike Davis, chief executive of the United States Golf Association, said that increased hole distance has had a negative effect on the game, forcing golf courses to expand and use more resources, while making a round take more time to play. Last year, Jack Nicklaus told BBC Sport that the focus on distance is “the most ridiculous thing in the game.”

In anticipation of golf’s return to the Olympic Games in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro, the layout and format of the Rules of Golf will be the same in every country.