News
USGA will restrict green-reading materials beginning in 2019
More than a year after announcing their concerns, the USGA and R&A are proposing regulations on green-reading materials/yardage books.
The governing bodies emphasized “the need for a player to read greens based on their own judgement” in a press release.
The regulations will be finalized in a published “interpretation” of Rule 4.3 (Use of Equipment) and adopted Jan. 1, 2019, following a six-week feedback period.
David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said,
“We have looked carefully at the use of these green-reading materials and the extremely detailed information they provide and our view is that they tip the balance too far away from the essential skill and judgment required to read subtle slopes on the greens. It is important to be clear, however, that we still regard the use of yardage books and handwritten notes to be an entirely appropriate part of the game.”
Here are the key elements, per the USGA release.
Minimum Slope Indication Limit: A minimum slope indication limit of 4 percent (2.29 degrees) is proposed (this includes lines, arrows, numbers or any other indicators); this will have the effect of eliminating such indicators of slope from those areas of the putting green where the hole is most likely to be positioned (which tend to be cut on reasonably flat sections of the putting green with a degree of slope of less than 3.5 percent – or 2 degrees). This proposed limit also equates roughly with the amount of slope that is readily visible to the naked eye.
Maximum Scale Limit: A maximum scale of 3/8 inch to 5 yards (1:480) is proposed; this will limit the size in print form to a pocket-sized publication and has the effect of restricting the space for handwritten notes (also referenced below).
Indicative Information: General information that is included in traditional yardage books or course guides, such as basic illustrations that show the outline of the putting green and include indicative information like the tops of ridges or general slopes, will continue to be permitted.
Handwritten Notes: Handwritten notes will continue to be allowed, but such notes cannot be used to create either a direct copy or a facsimile (replica) of a detailed green map.
If you’d like to know what this theory might look like in practice, check out these illustrations from the USGA.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Tee-Bone
Aug 2, 2018 at 1:48 pm
At this point, the USGA is completely dysfunctional. Green maps do not read the green for you by indicating the correct starting line. That must still be done by the player. Green maps do not remove that skill. So I ask…WHY?
david
Aug 2, 2018 at 6:41 am
Putting a line on a golf ball to putt in my opinion is cheating; it runs contrary to the spirit of the game. We don’t allow players to use alignment rods on the fairways to line up a shot, so why do we allow a player to use a line? And it slows play immensely. I’m all for banning yardage books completely, green reading is a skill; this is like allowing calculators for students in a math test.
Frankie
Aug 2, 2018 at 7:07 pm
Would you rather take a trigonometry test with abnormal angles (not 45, 90, 135, 180, etc.) and have to figure out approximate sin, cos, and tan for those angles without a calculator? Hmmmm….
Joe
Aug 1, 2018 at 6:35 pm
The game of golf should be a game of athleticism and judgement, not a game for physic majors. KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid.
GolfDonkey
Aug 1, 2018 at 5:49 pm
This is all so dumb. No need to ban the books
Tom54
Aug 1, 2018 at 2:06 pm
I believe the green reading books just adds another layer of preparation for a putt. By the time they consult the book,visually look at all angles,precisely line it up with the line on the ball and then hit the putt a lot of time has gone by. I agree that laser finders should be allowed. Last player to hit in group from fairway should already have yardage when it’s his turn. How many times has the camera gone to that player and they’re still looking at the book? I know they are playing for lots of money but Rodney said it best with “Let’s go while we’re young”
Tartan Golf Travel
Aug 1, 2018 at 1:21 pm
Not sure why they didn’t ban the books entirely but outside of that I like the rule. Green reading is a skill. Give the guys rangefinders….yardage is common knowledge. The most boring part of watching golf is when the caddie and they player are both just looking at a book!
Ray Neese
Aug 1, 2018 at 10:13 pm
They should ban caddies from reading as well and lining up shots. Even though they move before a player hits,lining up is part of the skill of golf.
Jack Nash
Aug 1, 2018 at 12:57 pm
It’s about time they did this. Should have been nipped in the bud right off. Green reading is an art, and how many players have been aided just like the long & belly putters.
Funkaholic
Aug 1, 2018 at 10:13 am
I wonder how many strokes I could shave if I had this kind of information, conditions and time on my local public course.
Jack Nash
Aug 1, 2018 at 12:55 pm
I think there’s even golf apps for ur phone out now.
Funkaholic
Aug 1, 2018 at 1:19 pm
Yes but, I don’t have the time to stand over my ball 5 minutes before every shot with a personal adviser helping me make my decisions on a perfectly manicured course. The Pros are spoiled.
OninTwoDowninOne
Aug 2, 2018 at 3:42 am
Yes, I agree they are spoiled. Play on well conditioned courses, follow perfect weather conditions, a spotter every shot, never lose a ball, an adviser for every shot, get relief from impossible situations just by asking, Ball deflectors in play, food on the course.
doofer
Aug 1, 2018 at 2:04 am
Aw shucks… you can goose up the ball but you can’t use green reading stuff?!!
CrashTestDummy
Jul 31, 2018 at 11:39 pm
I like this change. Puts more responsibility on the player to setup their own shots. Also, like that they disallowed caddies lining up the player before hitting. The responsibility should be on the player to read a putt and line themselves up.
Bruce Ferguson
Jul 31, 2018 at 7:08 pm
At least you don’t have to worry about green-reading aids at the US Open.
Balls just roll off the greens, anyway . . .
Travis
Jul 31, 2018 at 7:01 pm
This is making the green reading books so complicated… and what, are they going to search every green reading book every round?!
Why not just ban them entirely?
Yet another way the USGA makes this whole situation WAY more complicated than it has to be… Mike Davis is a total tard.
DB
Aug 1, 2018 at 8:33 am
I also tend to think Mike Davis is a nerd who should be shoved back into a locker, but… this is a welcome change. Lots of people have had issues with the growing complexity of these books.
There are restrictions on clubs and various other things – and nobody has to inspect every club every round. Everyone knows the rules and they follow the rules. I think it’s pretty clear. You can have a green chart showing ridges and false-fronts, general direction, etc. But once you start mapping it out with precise slope measurements you’ve broken the rule.
Wiger Toods
Jul 31, 2018 at 6:58 pm
It isn’t about the data. It’s about slow play.
Anders Loch
Aug 1, 2018 at 10:17 am
Green books actually speed up play by allowing one to make a read faster.
Jesper Pickering
Jul 31, 2018 at 5:52 pm
They should just ban any lines on the balls. It takes way too much time to align line on ball, and it removes the skills to properly setup and aim. It’s fine by me with the measurements/green books and that not. You have the same insight if it is your home course
ChipNRun
Jul 31, 2018 at 2:05 pm
I served as marshal on the No. 14 for the 2013 Senior PGA at Bellerive CC.
During a practice round, one player finished the hole and broke out some real hardware. He had a carpenter’s level, a 12-inch wooden ruler and a small looseleaf notebook. He took about six level readings around each of the proposed cup positions, rolled the ball around by hand, and furiously took notes.
After about five minutes, his playing partner said, “Hey, the next group wants to hit in…”
End of sad story: He failed to make 36-hole cut by five strokes.
—————-
* Yes, Bellerive is hosting the 100th PGA Championship in a few days.
Tom
Jul 31, 2018 at 12:33 pm
What if the player makes his own version of a green reading book, like the yardage books they currently are allowed to use? Will the USGA subcontract TSA agents to body cavity search players?
Instead, the USGA should put time expectations in place and severely penalize(disqualify)those who can’t play 18 holes in 4 hours. It’s not that complicated.
3puttPar
Jul 31, 2018 at 2:09 pm
A tournament round in 4 hours has never happened, and will never happen. This unreal expectation of putting a time limit on golf has become ridiculous.
If you cant set aside ample time to play or watch golf, find something else to do.
Joe
Aug 1, 2018 at 12:59 pm
#ShotClockMasters
MJB-Golf
Aug 2, 2018 at 6:48 am
True….Fastest 3-ball round on Thursday 3h 48min. Average time cut off each group was recorded to 33min. Did we find it stressful? No, not even the slow players. But we had to get on with what we are supposed to do out there, check yardage, wind direction, make a decision, grove it in and pull the trigger. No time for second and third thoughts about every single decision made. Great format and equal time for all players making it a fair tournament. “Thumbs Up” 🙂
PT
Aug 2, 2018 at 12:50 pm
Did you walk? Use a rangefinder? Or that silly thing on your cart? And were millions of dollars and FedEx Cup points, and qualification status at stake?
Trying walking off every yardage next time and walk that course. And then see if you can still shoot your own course record next time
Greg V
Jul 31, 2018 at 12:21 pm
Will the makers of these green reading books sue the USGA?
I saw a phone app that had the same technology. They must be hugely disappointed.
GFan
Jul 31, 2018 at 11:32 am
Fantastic news from the USGA + R&A. If they could also prohibit the caddies from helping to read greens than we would see some even more interesting results from those professional players.
Dave
Jul 31, 2018 at 1:18 pm
The caddie is part of the player…. read the rule book.