Golf: Rules and Equipment

See also Golf: Players, Tournaments and Courses.

The governing authority of world golf, since 2004, everywhere except the USA and Mexico (where the game is governed by the US Golf Association or USGA)

The R&A

Balls

The first golf balls were made of		Wood
From the early 17th century, golf balls were made from leather pouches stuffed with		Boiled feathers
South–east Asian tree whose sap was used to make golf balls from the mid–19th century (and gave them their name, commonly abbreviated to "guttie")		Gutta–percha

Since about 1900, golf balls have been made from a rubber thread wound round a solid or liquid core encased in a thin outer shell.

Minimum diameter of a golf ball		1.68" (42.67 mm)
Maximum weight of a golf ball		1.62 oz (45.93 grams)

Golf balls must also be symmetrically dimpled, and there are regulations about the size of the dimples (which improve the aerodynamics of the ball and make it travel further).

Clubs

Maximum number of clubs that a player can use (or have in his/her bag) in a round		14
No. 1 wood		Driver
No. 2 wood		Brassie
No. 3 wood		Spoon
No. 1 iron		Driving iron
No. 2 iron		Mid–iron
No. 3 iron		Mid–mashie
No. 5 iron		Mashie
No. 7 iron		Mashie–niblick
No. 9 iron		Niblick
48 degree wedge		Pitching
53 degree wedge		Gap
56 degree wedge; designed to be used to play out of a bunker		Sand
60 degree wedge		Lob
Putter, when used off the green		Texas wedge

Miscellaneous

Diameter of the hole		4¼" (10.8 cm)
Minimum depth of the hole (there is no maximum)		4"
The closely–cut area of grass surrounding a green		Apron
Maximum time allowed for searching for a lost ball		5 minutes
Penalty for a lost ball		1 stroke
Penalty for playing the wrong ball (in strokeplay)		2 strokes
Number of holes in a Major tournament (4 rounds of 18)		72
Game played between two teams of two players each, when each player has his own ball and at each hole, the player with the lowest score wins that hole for his team		Fourball
Game played between two teams of two players each, when each team uses only one ball and the players take it in turns		Foursome
Two under par		Eagle
Three under par – known in the USA as a double eagle		Albatross
Four under par – also known as a triple eagle or double albatross		Condor
Matchplay: player who can't be beaten (e.g. 2 up with 2 to play)		Dormie
Greatest possible winning margin in 18–hole matchplay		10 and 8
Measures the speed of a green, by rolling a ball down an angled slope and measuring how far it rolls (named after its inventor)		Stimpmeter
Opponent's ball in the way of your ball		Stymie
Golfers' name for a nervous inability to putt		The yips
A putt that's so close to the hole that the opponent concedes it		Gimme
Ace		Hole in one
Golden Ferret		Holing from a bunker
Mulligan (term used in a friendly game)		Free shot
GUR		Ground Under Repair
Difference between course and links		Links are by the sea

© Haydn Thompson 2017–21