GUI targets cheats by launching Handicap Awareness Month

Bodies announce proposed changes to modernise Rules

Relief for embedded ball

The R&A and the USGA have unveiled a preview of the proposed new Rules of Golf, as part of a joint initiative to modernise the Rules and make them easier to understand and apply.

The online release of this preview begins a six-month feedback and evaluation period during which all golfers worldwide can learn about the proposed changes and provide input before they are finalised in 2018 and take effect on 1 January 2019.

The announcement follows a comprehensive review process that began in 2012 with a working group of key R&A and USGA Rules administrators, professional tour officials and other Rules experts. While the Rules are revised every four years, this is the first fundamental review since 1984, and was established to ensure the Rules fit the needs of today’s game and the way it is played around the world. 

David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said, “Our aim is to make the Rules easier to understand and to apply for all golfers. We have looked at every Rule to try to find ways to make them more intuitive and straightforward and we believe we have identified many significant improvements. It is important that the Rules continue to evolve and remain in tune with the way the modern game is played but we have been careful not to change the game’s longstanding principles."

“We are excited and encouraged by the potential this work brings, both through the proposed new Rules and the opportunities to use technology to deliver them,” said Thomas Pagel, Senior Director of Rules & Amateur Status for the USGA. “We look forward to an ongoing conversation with golfers during the feedback period in the months ahead.”

The proposed 24 new Rules, reduced from the current 34, have been written in a user-friendly style with shorter sentences, commonly used phrases, bulleted lists and explanatory headings. The initiative also focuses on assessing the overall consistency, simplicity and fairness of the Rules for play.

The Rules are currently delivered in more than 30 languages, and the proposed wording will support easier translation worldwide. When adopted, the Rules will be supported by technology that allows the use of images, videos and graphics.

Highlights of the proposed Rule changes include:

• Elimination or reduction of “ball moved” penalties: There will be no penalty for accidentally moving a ball on the putting green or in searching for a ball; and a player is not responsible for causing a ball to move unless it is “virtually certain” that he or she did so.

• Relaxed putting green rules: There will be no penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits an unattended flagstick in the hole; players may putt without having the flagstick attended or removed. Players may repair spike marks and other damage made by shoes, animal damage and other damage on the putting green and there is no penalty for merely touching the line of putt.

Main changes to the Rules that have been proposed

• Relaxed rules for “penalty areas” (currently called “water hazards”): Red and yellow-marked penalty areas may cover areas of desert, jungle, lava rock, etc., in addition to areas of water; expanded use of red penalty areas where lateral relief is allowed; and there will be no penalty for moving loose impediments or touching the ground or water in a penalty area.

• Relaxed bunker rules: There will be no penalty for moving loose impediments in a bunker or for generally touching the sand with a hand or club. A limited set of restrictions (such as not grounding the club right next to the ball) is kept to preserve the challenge of playing from the sand; however, an extra relief option is added for an unplayable ball in a bunker, allowing the ball to be played from outside the bunker with a two-stroke penalty.

• Relying on player integrity: A player’s “reasonable judgment” when estimating or measuring a spot, point, line, area or distance will be upheld, even if video evidence later shows it to be wrong; and elimination of announcement procedures when lifting a ball to identify it or to see if it is damaged.

• Pace-of-play support: Reduced time for searching for a lost ball (from five minutes to three); affirmative encouragement of “ready golf” in stroke play; recommending that players take no more than 40 seconds to play a stroke and other changes intended to help with pace of play.

• Simplified way of taking relief: A new procedure for taking relief by dropping a ball in and playing it from a specific relief area; relaxed procedures for dropping a ball, allowing the ball to be dropped from just above the ground or any growing thing or other object on the ground.

A series of materials have also been prepared to explain the proposed Rule changes and provide background on the initiative. Found on randa.org and usga.org/rules, they include:

•  Overview of the Rules Modernisation Initiative: goals, proposed changes and process for implementation in 2019

• Draft New Rules of Golf for 2019: the full text of proposed Rules 1-24 and Definitions

• Draft Player’s Edition of the New Rules of Golf for 2019: Written from the perspective of “you” the golfer, this shorter version covers the most commonly used Rules and is meant to be the rule book golfers will use when finalised and adopted in 2019

• Explanation for Each Major Proposed Change in the New Rules of Golf for 2019: Short summaries of each major proposed change

• Summary chart of major changes

• Videos and Infographics: Visual explanations of the proposed Rules.

Golfers are encouraged to review the proposed changes and submit feedback online via worldwide survey technology that can be accessed at randa.org or usga.org/rules from now until 31 August 2017.

The feedback will be reviewed by The R&A and the USGA in establishing the approved final version of golf’s new Rules. These are due to be released in mid-2018 ahead of a 1 January 2019 implementation. Social media users can also follow the discussion using #GolfRules2019. 

Players are reminded that the current 2016 Edition of the Rules of Golf remain in force when playing, posting scores or competing, until the new Rules are officially adopted by The R&A and the USGA in 2019. The Rules of Amateur Status and the Rules of Equipment Standards were not part of this review process.   

from News - Irish Golf Desk http://ift.tt/2maoU2D

VIDEO: How will the Range Rover Velar compare with next BMW X3?

The Range Rover Evoque was always more of a fashion piece than a proper SUV. While the Evoque can actually hand more off-road terrain than something like a BMW X3 or Audi Q5, it’s cramped interior and lack of cargo space made it more fashionable than practical. But the next step up from the Evoque was always the Range Rover Sport, which was always a bit bigger than the X3 and more X5-sized. So Jaguar Land Rover had a pretty big whole in the Range Rover lineup, where the X3 and Q5 were dominating. That’s why JLR decided to come out with this — the Range Rover Velar.

Sized right in between the Range Rover Sport and Evoque, the Velar will compete with the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class and Audi Q5. However, it seems to be packing more technology, luxury and off-road tech than any of the aforementioned three. It also looks sleek and seductive, as well as aggressive.

Inside is where the big news is, though. The cabin of the Range Rover Velar solves the brand’s problem with convoluted and dated technology. All of the physical buttons have been replaced with very slick looking touchscreens. The graphics are very sharp and look great while two turn dials mounted to the lower touchscreen add a sense of physicality to them. Those turn dials can be customized to control different aspects of the screen, making life a bit easier for the occupants. Those touchscreens also seem to work far faster and better than any previous JLR system.

The Velar’s interior quality also looks very nice and seems like it could be a notch or two about its German competitors, though we’ll only really be able to tell when we get inside of one. It’s also packed with more tech than on other Land Rover products, such as a 4G LTE hotspot and the ability to lock and unlock the car from a smartphone. It will also learn your route to work and work out the best way possible.

But don’t think Range Rover forgot its off-road tech. The Velar will be capable of handling any sort of off-road situation short of Moab and can even wade in water up to 650mm (2.1 ft). While that’s not as impressive as the big-daddy Range Rover, it’s pretty damn good.

Engine options are actually quite good, with three diesel options and two petrol. There will be a 2.0 liter turbo-diesel as the base model engine with a twin-turbocharged variant available as an upgrade. The third diesel engine will be a 3.0 liter V6 turbo-diesel, with a healthy 295 hp. The petrols will be a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder, with 246 hp, and a range-topping 3.0 supercharged V6 with a very nice 374 hp.

Pricing for the Range Rover Velar starts a $49,900, which is a decent amount more than the BMW X3 xDrive28i’s $41,250. However, the Velar is the more stylish option, comes with some fancy cabin tech and is better off road. BMW is working on a new X3, which will be debuting later this year, so we can’t comment on how it will stack up but you can be sure we will as soon as the new X3 drops.

The article VIDEO: How will the Range Rover Velar compare with next BMW X3? appeared first on BMW BLOG

from BMW BLOG http://ift.tt/2lsQ5lq

Annabel Wilson heads Irish challenge at Spanish Amateur

Annabel Wilson in action during the third round of the 2016 Espirito Santo Trophy in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Sept. 16, 2016.  (Copyright USGA/Steven Gibbons)

Lurgan's Annabel Wilson carded a one-over-par 73 to share eighth place after the first qualifying round of the Spanish Ladies International Amateur Championship at Sherry Golf Jerez.

A bronze medallist with Leona Maguire and Olivia Mehaffey in the Espirito Santo Trophy in Mexico last year, the teenager had two birdies and three bogeys on her card to lie just three strokes behind co-leaders Zhen Bontan of the Netherlands and Germany's Anastasia Mikan, who shot rounds of 70.

Following Thursday's second round, just 32 players will go through to Friday's matchplay stages with Curtis Cup player Maria Dunne from Skerries just inside the cut off after a 76 left her tied for 25th.

Castletroy's Chloe Ryan announced on Twitter that she was pulling out injured after an 85 but it was also a tough day for Lisburn's Paula Grant (82) and Georgia Carr (87).

Slieve Russell's Lisa Maguire, currently at Duke University with twin sister Leona, won the Spanish title in 2011.

Very disappointing to pull out due to injury this week. No point swinging in pain

— Chloe Ryan (@Chloeryan94) March 1, 2017

Spanish Ladies International Amateur Championship (Queen's Cup), Sherry Golf Jerez (Par 72)

Detailed scores | PDF | 

T8  WILSON, Annabel +1 73
T25 DUNNE, Maria +4 76
T77 GRANT, Paula +10 82
98 CARR, Georgia +15 87
WD RYAN, Chloe +13 85

from News - Irish Golf Desk http://ift.tt/2lAgNcD

McLarnon tied second on tough day for the Irish at El Saler

Tiarnan McLarnon drives during last year's AIG Irish Amateur Close at Ballyliffin. Picture: Pat Cashman

Massereene's Tiarnan McLarnon fired a level par 72 to share second place and head the 13-strong Irish contingent bidding to qualify for Friday's matchplay stage of the Spanish Amateur Open championship at a windy El Saler.

Pierre Verlaar of the Netherlands was the only player in the 12-strong field to break par in the race to make the top 32 who will progress on Thursday, carding a three-under-par 69 to lead by three shots from McLarnon and Italy's Giacomo Fortini.

Just seven of the 13 Irishmen are inside the top 30 with Tullamore and Maynooth's Stuart Grehan tied for fourth after a 73.

Warrenpoint's Colm Campbell shares 10th after his 74 with Tramore's Robins Dawson tied 18th after a 75.

Knock's Colin Fairweather and Maynooth University pair, Ronan Mullarney and Kevin LeBlanc shot 76 to find themselves in a 10-man tie for 30th on four-over-par.

Conor O'Rourke (77), Jonathan Yates (79), Alex Gleeson and Mark Power (80) and Sean Flanagan and John Ross Galbraith (81) have work to do to make the cut.

Spanish Amateur Open (King's Cup), El Saler (Par 72)

Qualifying - First round

Detailed scoreboard | Tee-times

1 Pierre Verlaar (Ned) 69
2 Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereene) 72, Giacomo Fortini (Ita) 72
T4 Stuart Grehan (Tullamore/Maynooth University) 73
T10 Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) 74
T18 Robin Dawson (Tramore/Maynooth Univ.) 75
T30 Ronan Mullarney (Galway/Maynooth Univ.) 76; Colin Fairweather (Knock) 76; Kevin LeBlanc (The Island) 76
T40 Conor O'Rourke (Naas) 77
T55 Jonathan Yates (Naas) 79
T68 Alex Gleeson (UCD/Castle) 80; Mark Power (Kilkenny) 80
T78 Sean Flanagan (Co Sligo/Maynooth Univ.) 81, John Ross Galbraith (Whitehead) 81.

from News - Irish Golf Desk http://ift.tt/2lUZjtX

Real life photos of the 2017 BMW 5 Series Touring

Next week, BMW will unveil the new G31 5 Series Touring. But ahead of the world debut, a Bimmertoday’s reader has caught the new BMW 5 Series Touring uncoated near Munich. The upper-class sports wagon is decorated with a tiny stripe of camouflage, yet not enough to hide the final design and the Luxury trim.

Due to the lack of the model lettering, it is impossible to say which engine is under the bonnet of this G31 5 Series Touring since even the entry-level 520d with four-cylinder diesel carries a tailpipe on the left and right side in the seventh generation, optics, which were reserved only a few years ago for significantly stronger models. The 540i and 530d models also have the same tailpipe design; the 540i with its trapezoidal tailpipes is the only model with that type of design.

Compared to its predecessor, the BMW G31 5 Series Touring is exactly 36 millimeters longer, 8 millimeters wider and 10 millimeters higher. Nevertheless, the weight was reduced by up to 100 kilograms depending on the engine, which is why the 5 Series is much closer to the smaller 3 Series Touring – between the 530i Touring and 330i Touring are only 75 kilograms, although the G31 5er has more extensive series equipment onboard.

Thanks to its larger dimensions, the 2017 BMW 5 Series Touring also offers an even larger and even more versatile luggage compartment compartment. The space in the luggage compartment grows to 570 liters (+10), with the rear seat back, the 5er Touring will offer 1,700 liters of trunk volume (+30). Even more is the progress on the load, because the maximum load is 720 to 730 kilograms, up to 120 kilograms higher than its predecessor.

The prices for the new luxury car from Munich start at the start of the market in June 2017 at 47,700 euros for the 520d. For the four-cylinder petrol 530i at least 52,300 euros are due, while the 340 hp strong 540i xDrive has a basic price of 62,800 euros. The provisional top-of-the-range diesel 530d costs at least 56,800 euros with rear-wheel drive, the all-wheel-drive variant 530d xDrive changes the owner 59,400 Euro.

The article Real life photos of the 2017 BMW 5 Series Touring appeared first on BMW BLOG

from BMW BLOG http://ift.tt/2lA1ctJ

US Sales: BMW brand vehicles increased 0.3 percent in February

Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 0.3 percent in February for a total of 22,558 compared to 22,498 vehicles sold in February, 2016. Year-to-date, the BMW brand is up 0.2 percent in the U.S. on sales of 40,667 vehicles compared to 40,580 sold in the first two months of 2016.

“March is the real beginning of the automotive selling season in the U.S. and BMW is well positioned for success with the right mix of vehicles and with the launch of the all-new 5 Series now underway,” said Ludwig Willisch, Head of BMW Group Region Americas. “The trend towards Sports Activity Vehicles is strong but so is demand for the new 5 Series, especially the new M550 which goes on sale in the Spring along with the hybrid-electric 530e.”

Notable vehicle sales in February include the new BMW 5 Series with 2,731 cars, the BMW X1 which increased to 2,050 vehicles, and the BMW X3 which increased to 4,020 vehicles.

BMW Group Sales
In total, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported February sales of 24,712 vehicles, a decrease of 2.5 percent from the 25,337 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, BMW Group sales are down 1.6 percent on sales of 45,931 vehicles in the first two months of 2017 compared to 46,657 in the same period in 2016.

MINI Brand Sales
For February, MINI USA reported 2,154 automobiles sold, a decrease of 24.1 percent from the 2,839 sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, MINI USA reported a total of 5,264 automobiles sold, a decrease of 13.4 percent from 6,077 automobiles sold in the first two months of 2016.

Table 1: New Vehicle Sales BMW of North America, LLC, February 2017

	Feb. 2017	Feb. 2016	%	YTD Feb. 2017	YTD Feb. 2016	%
BMW brand	22,558	22,498	0.3	40,667	40,580	0.2
BMW passenger cars	13,887	13,777	0.8	24,926	26,626	-6.4
BMW light trucks	8,671	8,721	-0.6	15,741	13,954	12.8
MINI brand	2,154	2,839	-24.1	5,264	6,077	-13.4
TOTAL Group	24,712	25,337	-2.5	45,931	46,657	-1.6

BMW Pre-Owned Vehicles

• February 2017 sales of BMW Certified Pre-Owned set a February record with 11,260 vehicles, an increase of 30.2 percent from February 2016.
• Total BMW Pre-Owned sales also set a February record with 20,256 vehicles, an increase of 36.1 percent from February 2016.
• Total BMW Pre-Owned cars sold year-to-date were 38,475, a 34.4 percent increase from the first two months of 2016.

MINI Pre-Owned Vehicles

• In February, MINI Certified Pre-Owned sold 873 vehicles, a decrease of 16.5 percent from February 2016.
• Total MINI Pre-Owned sales set a February record with 2,413 vehicles in February 2017, an increase of 8.2 percent from February 2016.
• Total MINI Pre-Owned sales year-to-date were 4,600, a 12.6 percent increase from the first two months of 2016.

The article US Sales: BMW brand vehicles increased 0.3 percent in February appeared first on BMW BLOG

from BMW BLOG http://ift.tt/2lrL5xj