Golf:Three-time Major winner Pádraig Harrington has welcomed revisions to the rules of golf that were announced today by the Royal and Ancient Club.

Among the changes, which will come into place on January 1st next year, is one exonerating a player from a penalty if it is known their ball was moved by the wind after address, an infringement that has cost the Dubliner shots during his career.

In New Orleans in May, Webb Simpson lost a play-off to Bubba Watson after his ball moved a fraction of an inch on the 15th green and he incurred a one-shot penalty.

The difference between first and second place there was $460,800 and Simpson went on to lose the PGA Tour money list title to Luke Donald this weekend by $335,861.

Rory McIlroy also suffered a penalty on the seventh hole of his final round in The British Open this July, although the consequences were not as great — he finished 25th.

The new rule “exonerates the player from penalty if their ball moves after it has been addressed when it is known or virtually certain that they did not cause the ball to move.

“For example, if it is a gust of wind that moves the ball after it has been addressed, there is no penalty and the ball is played from its new position.”

“I am delighted with the changes, in particular the ball moving after address,” said Harrington, who acts as an R&A ambassador.

“Every time the wind blows I am worried that my ball is going to move and I am worried about grounding my putter, distracting me from trying to hole my putt.

“This change will speed up play, there won’t be as many suspensions and players won’t be getting penalised or disqualified unfairly. It is definitely giving us players a little bit of a break.”

Among the other changes to the R&A rulebook relates to prizes won by amateurs for a hole-in-won, which will now be unlimited.

Previously the rules allowed for a prize worth no more than £500 (€575) and any amateur accepting something of greater value — golf writer Derek Lawrenson, for instance, won a Lamborghini — had to relinquish their amateur status.

The R&A have now decided that “the special nature of a hole-in-one during a round of golf means that restrictions on the prizes offered have been lifted”.

The new Rules of Amateur Status also include changes for elite amateur golfers aimed at easing the move from amateur to professional golfer.

It follows a far-reaching four-year review of amateurism in golf, which even questioned the need for a set of rules and has resulted in the first-ever uniform worldwide code for amateur status.

Announcing the changes, the R&A’s Director of Rules David Rickman said: “We felt the time was right to carry out a fundamental review of the Rules of Amateur Status.

“We were conscious that many sports had done away with amateur status rules and we felt that was an appropriate question for us to ask.

“We concluded that it is very important that golf retains its amateur regulations, mainly because of the self-regulating nature of the game both in terms of the playing rules and handicapping.

“We felt that uncontrolled financial incentives could place too much pressure on these important features.”

Excluding hole-in-one prizes from the general prize limit and allowing high-value prizes, including cash, to be awarded brings the R&A into line with the United States Golf Association.

Norway’s world number two Suzann Pettersen, who is also an R&A ambassador, said: “I think this is a really good change. Anyone who makes a hole-in-one knows there is a degree of luck.

“Most professional tournaments offer hole-in-one prizes and it adds some real interest for players and fans. It is great to think that club golfers can now experience that same excitement.”

Under the new rules aimed at amateurs thinking of a professional career, players will now be able to enter into an agreement with an agent or sponsor as long as they do not receive any financial gain while still an amateur. Rules have also been relaxed on subsistence payments paid through national golf unions.

Rickman explained: “The rules on contracts now reflect the modern game and adopt a much more realistic and common sense approach.

“Similarly, the rules on subsistence expenses should help the support of deserving talent wherever it may emerge across the golfing world.”

England’s Tom Lewis, winner of just his third professional event in Portugal two weeks ago only three months after being leading amateur at The British Open, commented: “It is an important change because some players are forced into turning pro early just because of financial difficulties.

“It will make a real difference as they will now be able to turn professional for all the right reasons and also at the right time for them. It is probably the most important decision they will make in their career.”

Players will also be able to smooth sand in a bunker before playing from the hazard “provided it is for the sole purpose of caring for the course and Rule 13-2 (improving lie, area of intended stance or swing or line of play) is not breached”.

The penalty, meanwhile, for starting late, but within five minutes of the correct time, is reduced from disqualification to loss of the first hole in match play or two strokes at the first hole in stroke play. Previously this penalty reduction could be introduced as a condition of competition.