Don't look for extreme changes on that date, however, in fact, the changes will be so minor as to appear to not have changed at all. The exceptions to this are the Maximum Score Rule and rule #12 (see below). The Maximum Score Rule is Rule #7 in the list below. Starting with the June tournaments this rule will go into effect providing for a maximum score of four (4) over par for any particular hole. To be exact, this means a player getting to the score of four over par (7 on a par 3, 8 on a par 4, and 9 on a par 5) would be able to pick up and record the proper score. This was an effort by the ASGA Board to speed up play by allowing a player to pick when having a very bad scoring hole with no end in sight.
Rule #12 says the the ASGA Board is allowed and has changed the rules governing yellow and red hazard stakes. Starting June 1, 2018 all hazard stakes are now red stakes with lateral relief allowed.
This list is the only ones adopted by the board while it is only a portion of the rules changed by the USGA.
New Rules
Adoption Date: June 1, 2018
(This is not an exhaustive list. A link (*) below is provided to a summary of the new USGA rules.)
1. Ball is lost if not found within 3 minutes (was 5).
2. No penalty if ball strikes flagstick when putting.3. Pace of play: Strike the ball within 40 seconds of when ready or reasonably should be ready.
4. No penalty for playing out of turn. Encourages 'ready golf'.
5. Unplayable ball in bunker. Player can declare a ball unplayable in a bunker, take relief outside the bunker on a line with the hole. 2 stroke penalty.
6. Dropping the ball shall be not less than 1” above the ground.
7. Maximum score: Par plus 4 strokes. (7 on a par 3, 8 on a par 4, and 9 on a par 5)
8. Distance measuring devices are now allowed unless prohibited by local rule.
9. Player may repair damage to the green. (It appears this includes repairing the hole itself).
10. It is no longer a penalty if a player touches the ground or moves loose impediments in a penalty area.
11. It is no longer a penalty if a player touches the sand or removes a loose impediment in a bunker, unless it is done to test the surface, or is done during a stroke or practice stroke.
12. Committees (the ASGA Board) have been given the discretion to mark all penalty areas as red so that lateral relief is always allowed.
*
Http://www.usga.org/content/dam/usga/pdf/2017/rules-modernization/full-list-changes-chart.pdf
