Golf Rules Then And Now

At first, the game of golf was played as an outdoor pastime, perhaps with the stone or ball hit along the ground until it crossed a line or similar goal. Eventually a rabbit hole in the ground became the ultimate object. Golf players of old did not have any guidelines or boundaries. How did golf change into a professional sport?

Follow along and let me tell you a little more about the men who wrote the first rules and how these guidelines grew to control the game around the world.

Trial and error

At first, of course, there were no hard and fast rules. The game was played by trial and error and rules were made up according to local custom and the type of grounds or "course" the people had. Golf was played by the sea, on sand with hills and dips. It was also played on animal paths that covered a broad area. Each place has its own unique terrain that needed different guidelines.

Though some histories refer to the etiquette and behavior expected from players, a member of the Gentleman Golfers of Leith is credited with writing some of the first formal rules. One person helped for the first time to make the rules of golf consistent.

Duncan Forbes

This Leith member made an effort to describe how the game was to be played from start to finish. One of the first rules he put down was that the ball was to be played from within one yard of the tee marker. Today, you will still see a professional golfer bend down to measure how close he is to the tee, in order to know whether or not he will play the ball.

By the way, the word "tee" comes from the Gaelic word "tigh" a term used in the ancient sport of curling. Golf continues to keep this history and custom alive today.

Who plays first

Among Forbes' early efforts was the rule that the person whose ball lies the longest distance from the hole must play first. More than 300 years later this guideline still governs play on every continent. Measuring, or at least estimating, distance plays an important role in golf.

Who is in charge?

Although there have been differences between the two major organizations over the years, the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and the United States Golf Association oversee golf around the world. Therefore, golfers in Japan, California or in Scotland will be playing golf under the same rules and are able to enjoy competition and good sportsmanship.