The rules of golf are internationally standardised and are jointly governed by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA). By agreement with the R&A, USGA jurisdiction on the enforcement and interpretation of the rules is limited to the United States and Mexico.
The rules continue to evolve; amended versions of the rule book are usually published and made effective in a four-year cycle.
The underlying principle of the rules is fairness. As declared on the back cover of the official rule book:
"play the ball as it lies",
"play the course as you find it", and
"if you can't do either, do what is fair".
Some rules state that
every player is entitled and obliged to play the ball from from the position where it has come to rest after a stroke, unless a rule allows or demands otherwise (Rule 13-1)
a player must not accept assistance in making a stroke (Rule 14-2)
the condition of the ground or other parts of the course may not be altered to gain an advantage, except in some cases defined in the rules
a ball may only be replaced by another if it is destroyed, lost, or unplayable, and a penalty is incurred in the latter cases
The Decisions on the Rules of Golf are based on formal case decisions by the R&A and USGA and are published regularly.
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Sources and References:
Golf Rules Illustrated 2000 Rules: The United States Golf Association: An Official Publication of the USGA USGA
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Golf Rules Illustrated 2000 Rules: The United States Golf Association: An Official Publication of the USGA USGAby Usga (Compiler), Peter Davidson (Illustrator) More information:
Playing by the Rules :
All the Rules of the Game, Complete with Memorable Rulings From Golf's Rich History
by Arnold Palmer
A hardly appealing topic (even for golfers) made fascinating by one of the game's legends. More information:
