Players with disabilities: Rule 25.

This page summarises Rule 25 of the 2023 Rules of Golf, in effect from 1 January 2023. The R&A says the next edition is due on 1 January 2028.

From Local Rule to Rule 25

When the R&A and the USGA announced the 2023 update, they described inclusion as one of its themes. The modified Rules for players with disabilities became Rule 25, part of the Rules of Golf, so a Committee no longer has to adopt a Local Rule before they can be used. Rule 25 applies in all competitions and all forms of play.

Who it covers

Rule 25 covers four groups:

• players who are blind, including some levels of vision impairment;
• amputees;
• players who use assistive mobility devices;
• players with intellectual disabilities.

It does not cover other conditions, such as neurological or orthopaedic conditions, short stature or deafness. The Rule explains that no need to modify the Rules for those players has yet been identified.

What changes for each group

Relief with a wheeled mobility device

Three relief options change for players using a wheeled mobility device. Rule 25.4m covers lateral relief both from a red penalty area and for an unplayable ball:

Anchoring

Rule 10.1b normally forbids anchoring the club during a stroke. Rules 25.3b and 25.4h modify that restriction for players with amputations and players using assistive mobility devices.

Committee discretion

Rule 25.6 covers how Committees apply the Rules. They may use relaxed standards when judging whether a player has caused unreasonable delay, and they should accept a player's reasonable judgment when dropping a ball from knee height. The relief and dropping page explains the normal drop.

Equipment

The Rules of Equipment have their own Part 7 for players with disabilities, although it says most disability modifications do not change the equipment rules. Two points stand out:

• Longer clubs: a player who needs clubs longer than 48 inches may use them with the Committee's authorisation, provided the shortest club (putter excluded) is no more than 10 inches shorter than the longest (putter excluded). Part 2 of the Equipment Rules also lets a Committee allow longer clubs where there is evidence of a medical or physical need.
• Grips: a player with a physical limitation affecting the hands may use non-conforming grips if the Committee finds no undue advantage. The grips must be commercially available, unmodified and not training grips.

Two related rules apply to every golfer. Rule 4.3b allows equipment used for a medical reason if the Committee decides it gives no unfair advantage, and Part 6 of the Equipment Rules allows tape, including kinesiology tape, for medical reasons if it is not used excessively and the Committee is satisfied it gives no undue advantage.

One limit to know about: where a Committee has adopted Model Local Rule G-10, which caps clubs other than putters at 46 inches (it applies only when the Committee adopts it), the physical-need exception that would otherwise allow longer clubs is not available. See Model Local Rules.