Amateur golf regulations are about to change

USGA manages and develops golf world together with R&A. In the draft amateur golf innovation, they propose some notable points.

Accordingly, amateur golfer is no longer limited to receiving sponsorship and benefits from exploiting personal reputation. Cash and other prizes in tournaments are both counted toward the pool of bonuses instead of splitting as before. Excluding virtual golf, the prevailing regulations will be void for tournament margins such as hole-in-one, farthest or closest throw, putting match.

This draft also stipulates that golfers will no longer be amateurs if they receive cash bonuses of over 750 USD or receive remuneration from direct technical guidance or receiving the title of coach at a golf course / club, including team members. professional career. However, amateur golfer is allowed to teach “one way” in the form of digital or text or professional training sessions approved by the golf management organization at the national level.

The waiting time to take back an amateur position has been reduced from one year to six months.

USGA and R&A wait for feedback until March 26. After that, the two organizations will publish the complete regulation to be applied from January 1, 2022.

In the US and Europe, the majority of young talent before going professional want to attend small-scale prize systems that have cash bonuses to both rub and cover the costs of progress. But in that way, they violated the amateur status.

USGA and R&A have recognized the shortcomings and promoted reform since the end of 2017. The process is to maintain the boundary with a professional level, while it is easy to understand, apply and keep up with development trends – forms of talent Aid is considered practical for young but ineligible talent in the old fence such as golf scholarships, financial support in practice or tournament, additional income from brand promotion.

This is the case of American female golfer Lucy Li, born in 2002. This player often appears in the USGA high-performing amateur tournaments. In 2018, Li was selected to join the national team for Curtis Cup competition with England – Ireland. In early 2019, Li was an amateur but appeared in an Apple Watch ad. Despite the conclusion that the golfer violated the law, the USGA only warned Li.

Quoc Huy synthetic