Happy New Year... golf's new modernised rules have landed! In no particular order, we list the most important golf rule changes you NEED to know about in 2019 and beyond...

#1 - SEARCH TIME REDUCED FROM 5 MINS TO 3 MINS #2 - BALL MOVED DURING SEARCH - REPLACE, NO PENALTY #3 - EMBEDDED BALL - FREE RELIEF ANYWHERE THROUGH THE COURSE #4 - MEASURING A DROP - USE LONGEST CLUB (EXCEPT PUTTER) #5 - TAKE DROPS FROM KNEE HEIGHT RATHER THAN SHOULDER HEIGHT #6 - BALL UNINTENTIONALLY HITS PLAYER OR EQUIPMENT - NO PENALTY #7 - DOUBLE HIT - NO PENALTY, NOW ONLY COUNTS AS ONE STROKE #8 - TOUCHING SAND IN BUNKER INCIDENTALLY IS PERMITTED #9 - LOOSE IMPEDIMENTS CAN BE REMOVED ANYWHERE INCLUDING HAZARDS #10 - DROPPING A BALL OUT OF BUNKER - TWO PENALTY STROKES #11 - WATER HAZARDS ARE NOW CALLED 'PENALTY AREAS', AND THERE IS NO PENALTY FOR TOUCHING THE GROUND IN A PENALTY AREA... REMEMBER, STILL NOT IN A BUNKER THOUGH! #12 - NEW 'LOCAL RULE' (THIS IS DOWN TO CLUB COMMITTEES TO DECIDE) ALLOWS GOLFERS TO DROP IN THE AREA OF WHERE A BALL IS LOST OR OUT OF BOUNDS UNDER A TWO-STROKE PENALTY #13 - BALL MOVES ON GREEN AFTER BEING MARKED - REPLACE WITHOUT PENALTY #14 - BALL ACCIDENTALLY MOVES ON PUTTING GREEN - REPLACE NO PENALTY #15 - ALL DAMAGE TO GREEN CAN NOW BE REPAIRED #16 - POSITIONING A CLUB FOR ALIGNMENT IS NOT PERMITTED #17 - CADDIE ASSISTING WITH ALIGNMENT IS NOW NOT PERMITTED #18 - PUTTING WITH FLAGSTICK IN HOLE IS NOW PERMITTED #19 - BALL WEDGED AGAINST FLAGSTICK AND SIDE OF HOLE IS NOW DEEMED AS HOLED