What Were the Two Main Governing Bodies That Created the Official Rules for Golf?

The game of golf, with its sprawling courses and specific etiquette, is governed by a singular, official set of rules created and maintained by two key organizations: The R&A and the United States Golf Association. Their collaboration ensures that a golfer in Scotland and a a golfer in California are playing the exact same game. This article will walk you through who these two bodies are, their unique histories, and how they came together to create the rules we follow today.

The Two Titans of Golf Governance

At the highest level, the world of golf is split into two jurisdictions. The R&A, based in St Andrews, Scotland, governs golf for the entire world *except* for the United States and Mexico. Those two countries fall under the purview of the United States Golf Association (USGA). For a long time, this meant there were slight differences in the rules depending on where you played. Today, thankfully, that’s a thing of the past. The R&A and USGA work hand-in-hand, issuing a single, unified code of The Rules of Golf that applies everywhere.

Think of them as the two co-pilots of the sport. While they each have their own history and distinct responsibilities, they share the same ultimate destination: to protect the traditions of the game while ensuring it remains fair, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone.

The R&A: The “Home of Golf” Sets the Standard

From a Local Club to a Global Authority

The story of The R&A begins where many consider the story of golf itself begins: in St Andrews, Scotland. In 1754, a group of 22 "noblemen and gentlemen" founded the Society of St Andrews Golfers. Their goal was simple: to compete in an annual competition. To do so, they needed a common set of rules. They didn't invent them from scratch, however. They adopted a set of 13 rules created a decade earlier by the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith (now The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers).

As the St Andrews club grew in influence and prestige - gaining its “Royal and Ancient” status under King William IV in 1834 - more and more clubs began adopting its rules. Rather than each club creating its own version of the game, they looked to the standard being set at the "Home of Golf." By the late 19th century, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews had become the unofficial rule-maker for all of Britain and the expanding British Empire.

A few of those original 13 rules might sound familiar, even today:

• You must tee your ball within a club’s length of the previous hole.
• If your ball comes to be among water, or any watery filth, you are at liberty to take out your ball & bring it behind the hazard... and you are to allow your adversary a stroke for so getting out your ball. (An early version of a penalty stroke!)
• If your clubs break, it is to be accounted a rub of the green. (Basically, bad luck! The rules on broken clubs are much different now.)

Modernizing for the Future

For nearly 250 years, the private club and the governing body were one and the same. This caused some confusion. Was a private members' club in Scotland really making rules for the whole world? To provide clarity and modernize its structure, a significant change occurred in 2004. The R&A was established as a separate entity, distinct from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. This new organization, The R&A, took over all governance responsibilities, including writing the rules, managing The Open (golf's oldest major) and the AIG Women's Open, and overseeing other prestigious amateur and professional events around the globe.

The USGA: Unifying a Nation of Golf

Solving a Championship Dispute

Across the Atlantic, as golf's popularity boomed in the a United States during the late 1800s, a problem arose. There was no single, recognized national champion. In 1894, two different clubs - Newport Country Club and St. Andrew’s Golf Club in New York (not to be confused with its Scottish namesake) - both held tournaments they called the national amateur championship and declared two different winners. Players and clubs were in an uproar. Who was the real champion?

To end the dispute, delegates from five of the most prominent clubs in the U.S. met in New York City on December 22, 1894. These "Founding Five" - Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, The Country Club, Chicago Golf Club, Newport Country Club, and St. Andrew’s Golf Club - agreed to form one central organization to oversee the game. This was the birth of the United States Golf Association (USGA).

From day one, the USGA’s mission was to establish a unified foundation for the sport in America. This included:

• Running official national championships (like the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, and U.S. Women's Open).
• Creating a standardized set of rules for its championships.
• Defining the rules of amateur status.

From Rule-Making to Golf Science

While the USGA initially adopted the rules of The R&A, it wasn't long before they began to make their own tweaks and interpretations to suit golfers stateside. This spirit of innovation and research remains a core part of their identity. The USGA runs a world-class equipment research and testing center, where everything from driver head size to golf ball aerodynamics is rigorously evaluated. Their goal is to ensure technology enhances the game rather than making skill irrelevant, protecting the sport's long-term health in the face of rapid technological advancements.

A Tale of Two Rulebooks: The Long Road to Unity

For more than half a century, golfers existed in a world with two slightly different rulebooks. If you were playing in a British Open, you adhered strictly to R&A rules. If you played in the U.S. Open, you followed the USGA's code. This created headaches for international competitions like the Ryder Cup and Walker Cup, where players had to agree on a compromise set of rules before play could even begin.

Notable Differences of the Past

The differences were often minor but could have a major impact on a match. Some classic examples include:

• The Stymie: Under R&A rules for many years, if an opponent's ball on the green was blocking your path to the hole, you had to putt around or over it. The USGA abolished this frustrating rule in their code, and The R&A eventually followed suit in 1952.
• The Playing of a Provisional Ball: For a time, the USGA had no provision for playing a provisional ball for one that might be lost or out of bounds. You had to go back to the spot of your previous stroke after searching proved fruitless, a major pace-of-play killer. They later adopted The R&A's more sensible approach.
• The "Small Ball" vs. the "Large Ball": One of the most famous disagreements was over the size of the golf ball. The R&A permitted a slightly smaller ball (1.62 inches in diameter) than the USGA standard (1.68 inches). The smaller British ball was less affected by wind and could be hit farther, giving British players a distinct advantage at home. This difference wasn't resolved until 1990 when a single ball size was finally mandated worldwide.

Beginning in 1952, the two bodies started working together more formally, issuing a single rulebook but still having slight variations detailed in the appendices. It wasn't until the end of the 20th century that a truly unified code was established. The most recent and impactful example of their collaboration was the global Rules Modernization Initiative, which resulted in the simplified, more intuitive set of rules released in 2019. This was a joint effort from start to finish, reflecting a shared philosophy of making the game easier for everyone to understand and enjoy.

How Rules Are Made Today: A unified and Evolving Process

Today, the process for creating and updating the Rules of Golf is a picture of well-organized collaboration. The R&A and the USGA have joint committees comprised of Rules experts, professional tour officials, elite amateurs, and respected administrators from around the golf world.

They operate on a four-year review cycle. This منظمs predictability for golfers while still allowing the rules to adapt to how the game is being played. The process involves:

1. Gathering Feedback: They actively seek input from golfers of all levels, federations, and major professional tours.
2. Drafting and Discussion: The joint committee drafts proposed changes, debating everything from precise wording to the philosophical intent of a rule.
3. Testing and Refinement: Proposed changes are tested and refined to ensure they work in practice.
4. Publication and Education: The final rules are published and followed by extensive educational campaigns to help golfers and officials understand the changes.

This ongoing partnership ensures that whether you're playing in a major championship or a casual weekend round with friends, you're playing the same game everywhere, preserved for the future by the two great bodies that shaped its past.

Final Thoughts

In short, the official Rules of Golf are the product of a historic partnership between the world's two main governing bodies, The R&A and the USGA. From separate origins rooted in the traditions of Scotland and the competitive spirit of America, they have come together to create a single, unified set of rules to guide the game for every golfer worldwide.

Understanding the rules is part of playing well, but even with today's simplified code, tricky on-course situations can be puzzling. With our app, Caddie AI, you never have to guess. If you’re unsure about how to take relief from a strange lie or how to proceed when your ball is near a temporary water hazard, you can get an instant, clear explanation of the ruling. It helps you play with confidence, knowing you have an expert in your pocket to navigate the rules correctly and fairly.