I need to know how one goes about learning as much as possible about
the rules of golf. What should I definitely know about Definitions,
The rules of play, Teeing off, Playing the ball, On the putting green,
Ball at rest moved,Ball in motion deflected or stopped, Lifting,
dropping and placing the ball, Ball interfering with or assisting
play, Loose impediments, Obstructions, Casual water, ground under
repair etc., Water hazards, Ball lost or out of bounds, Ball
unplayable. Also what guides should I be reading to better understand
the rules, where do I get the most up to date set of rules. Are rules
universal around the world. Do professionals play to different rules.
What are classic rulings that some golfers get wrong. Are there ruling
case studies? Thanks Andy

Hello, andyanswers-ga!

The following resources should provide the most current and thorough
descriptions on the rules of golf. The USGA sets the rules for the
United States and Mexico, while the R&A sets the rules for golfers in
Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Americas outside of the U.S. and
Mexico.


================
U.S. GOLF RULES
================

GolfOnline has an extensive list golf rules.

This is a series of 34 columns written for GOLF MAGAZINE by the Rules
officials of the USGA. Each column will cover one of the Rules of
Golf.
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/list/0,17578,487996,00.html


Rule 1: The Game 
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469342,00.html

Rule 2: Match Play  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469356,00.html

Rule 3: Stroke Play  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469356,00.html

Rule 4: Clubs  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469356,00.html

Rule 5: The Ball  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469367,00.html

Rule 6: The Player
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469368,00.html
  
Rule 7: Practice  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469369,00.html

Rule 8. Advice; Indicating Line of Play  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469370,00.html

Rule 9: Information as to strokes taken  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469371,00.html

Rule 10: Order of Play  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469344,00.html

Rule 11: Teeing Ground  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469345,00.html

Rule 12: Searching for and Identifying Ball 
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469346,00.html
 
Rule 13: Ball Played as it Lies  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469347,00.html

Rule 14: Striking the Ball  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469348,00.html

Rule 15: Wrong Ball; Substituted Ball  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469349,00.html

Rule 16: The Putting Green
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469350,00.html

Rule 17: The Flagstick  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469351,00.html

Rule 18: Ball at Rest Moved  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469352,00.html

Rule 19: Ball in motion deflected or stopped  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469353,00.html

Rule 20: Lifting, dropping, and placing; playing from the wrong place  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469357,00.html

Rule 21: Cleaning the ball
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469358,00.html
  
Rule 22: Ball interfering with or assisting play 
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469359,00.html
 
Rule 23: Loose Impediments  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469360,00.html

Rule 24: Obstructions  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469361,00.html

Rule 25: Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball, and Wrong Putting Green  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469362,00.html

Rule 26: Water Hazards (Including Lateral Water Hazards)  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,469363,00.html

Rule 27: Ball Lost or Out of Bounds; Provisional Ball  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,486610,00.html

Rule 28: Ball unplayable  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,486611,00.html

Rule 29: Threesomes and foursomes  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,517045,00.html

Rule 30: Teaming up -- four-ball matches 
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,517048,00.html
 
Rule 31: Team tactics -- stay on the ball in four-ball play  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,517058,00.html

Rule 32: High score wins -- Stableford, par and bogey scoring 
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,517059,00.html
 
Rule 33: Governs tournament setup  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,545741,00.html

Rule 34: When disputes occur, the Committee must put them right -- if possible  
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/rulebyrule/article/0,17742,563243,00.html
 
 

=============================
RULES FOR OTHER SITUATIONS
=============================

"Hazardous Situations - Bunkers, Water, Rough, and More." 
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/hazards/list/0,17578,488340,00.html 


"Within the Rules - Situations Involving the Ball." 
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/ball/list/0,17578,488332,00.html

 Covers Odd Balls, Marking, Lifting and Identifying, Drops, Searches,  
 Provisionals and Substitutions.


"Within the Rules - On the Course." 
http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/rules/course/list/0,17578,488352,00.html

 Covers Penalties, On the Green, Swings and Strokes, Time Out and Out of Order.



=============================================
UP-TO-DATE DECISIONS CONCERNING GOLF RULINGS
=============================================

"The USGA, in conjunction with the R&A in St. Andrews, Scotland,
writes, interprets and maintains the Rules of Golf to guard the
tradition and integrety of the game."

If you go to the following site and click on "Rules of Golf and the
Decisions on The Rules of Golf-2004-05, you will find a pop-up window
that explains each rule and the current decisions regarding diputes:
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/rules_of_golf.html   



========================================
UP-TO-DATE CHANGES TO THE RULES OF GOLF
========================================

The USGA and the R&A publishes revised rules every two years. There
will be a new set of decsions taking effect in January, 2006.
 
"The 2006-2007 Decisions book includes 37 new Decisions and 66 revised
Decisions, while eight Decisions have been withdrawn. Each year The
R&A and the USGA receive thousands of requests to clarify the Rules
for on-course incidents that have occurred at all levels of the game,
throughout the world.  With changes to the Rules of Golf established
on a four-year rolling cycle, the ability to publish official
interpretations of the Rules in the Decisions book every two years is
helpful to the game. The book contains more than 1,200 individual
Decisions, which are set out in question-and-answer format."
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/changes_rules.html 

Rules and Decisions Videos from the USGA:
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/video_index.html



====================================
RULES FOR GOLFERS WITH DISABILITIES
====================================

Modification To The Rules Of Golf For Golfers With Disabilities
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/golfers_with_disabilities.html

"This publication contains permissible modifications to the Rules of
Golf for use by disabled golfers. This is not intended to be a
revision of the Rules of Golf as they apply to able-bodied players. As
is the case for the Rules of Golf themselves, these modifications,
along with the philosophy expressed herein, have been agreed upon by
the United States Golf Association and the R&A in St. Andrews,
Scotland."

Blind Golfers
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/disability_rules/blind_golfers.html

Amputee Golfers
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/disability_rules/amputee_golfers.html

Golfers Requiring Canes or Crutches
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/disability_rules/canes_crutches.html

Golfers Requiring Wheelchairs
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/disability_rules/wheelchairs.html

Mentally Handicapped Golfers
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/disability_rules/mentally_handicapped.html 

Miscellaneous Issues
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/disability_rules/misc.html
 
Handicapping
http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/disability_rules/handicapping.html 



OTHER LINKS FROM THE USGA
==========================

Golf Etiquette
http://www.usga.org/playing/etiquette/etiquette.html

USGA Policy on Gambling
http://www.usga.org/playing/etiquette/gambling.html 



=====================================================
USGA RULES FOR AMATEUR STATUS VS PROFESSIONAL STATUS
=====================================================

The USGA writes and maintains the Rules of Amateur Status along with
the R&A, Scotland. An "amateur golfer" is one who plays the game as a
non-remunerative and non-profit-making sport and who does not receive
remuneration for teaching golf or for other activities because of golf
skill or reputation, except as provided in the Rules."
http://www.usga.org/playing/amateur_status/amateur_status.html

 Rules Of Amateur Status
 http://www.usga.org/playing/amateur_status/rules/amstat_rules.html

 Amateur Status Decisions
 http://www.usga.org/playing/amateur_status/rules/amstat_decisions.html



===============
R&A GOLF RULES
===============

"The R&A is golf's world rules and development body and organiser of
The Open Championship. It operates with the consent of more than 125
national and international, amateur and professional organisations,
from over 110 countries and on behalf of an estimated 28 million
golfers in Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas (outside the
USA and Mexico). The United States Golf Association (USGA) is the
game's governing body in the United States and Mexico."
http://www.randa.org/index.cfm?action=randaclub.home&cfid=1493603&cftoken=97288363

Rules of Golf
http://www.randa.org/index.cfm?cfid=1493603&cftoken=97288363&action=rules.home

 Rules of Golf In Brief
 http://www.randa.org/pdfs/FLY_InBrief.pdf



================================
GOLF BOOKS, MAGAZINES AND VIDEOS 
================================

"Top 10 Full Swing, Drills or General Topic Golf Instructional Books"
from About.com
http://golf.about.com/od/golftips/tp/generalinstruct.htm


Golf Videos and Dvd's  
http://www.centralhome.com/ballroomcountry/golf-videos.htm


Golf Digest
http://www.golfdigest.com/magazines/index.ssf?/gdmag/2005/10/index.html
 

 
ADDITIONAL
==========

See "The long arm of golf?s law - The first rules of golf were a mere
338 words. Now the book totals more than 40,000. The USGA says the
game isn't all that complicated. A nation of dumbfounded players might
argue otherwise," by Ed Sherman. Chicago Tribune. April 2005.
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/golf/cs-2005golfsource_rules,1,3687673.story?coll=cs-golf-utility
        
  
===


I hope these references provide everything you need!


Happy Golfing!


umiat


Search Strategy

complete rules of golf in U.S.
universal rules of golf
which golf rules do most argue about
R&A

Thank you for this thorough list.

How generous of you, andyanswers! Thank you so much!!