How has Rule 1 (Ball in Play) changed in the 2024 Rules of Golf?

The new 2024 Rules of Golf have reduced the penalty strokes for violations of Rule 1 (Ball in Play).

Rule 1 (One Ball) is a local rule that can be implemented by a competition committee for a specific tournament or series of tournaments to enhance the challenge for players. The rule stipulates that a player must use the same conforming ball throughout the round.

For example, if a player tees off with a white Titleist AVX ball at the start of a round, they must use the exact same ball throughout the entire round and cannot switch to a different ball, such as a Taylormade TP5x, Titleist ProV1 or ProV1x.

Essentially, players must use a golf ball with the same color, brand, and markings from the start of the round. Different colored balls, even if they are the same brand and have identical markings, are considered different types of balls.

Currently, Rule 1 (One Ball) is being enforced in all major professional golf tours worldwide, including the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Asian Tour.

A classic example of Rule 1 (One Ball) violation occurred on the PGA Tour involving Russell Henley. At the 2019 Mayakoba Golf Classic, Henley signed autographs for fans after the second round and realized that the ball he had been using was different from his usual Titleist Pro V1x, which has a small horizontal line. After reporting the incident to the rules official, Henley was penalized two strokes for each hole he played with the incorrect ball (holes 9 through 12). With an eight-stroke penalty, Henley's second-round score increased from 69 to 77, causing him to miss the cut.

With the 2024 Rules of Golf changes, while Rule 1 (One Ball) remains in effect, the penalty has been adjusted. Instead of incurring a two-stroke penalty per hole for a violation, players will now only receive a one-stroke penalty.

Feel confident and comfortable on the course with our golf fashion.