News

More News >>
Browse Video Galleries >> Browse Photo Galleries >>

Upcoming Events

Course Care Live Webcasts
January 01 - December 31 - Online All Year
PGA/USGA Rules Workshops
January 08 - March 31 - 2010, Nationwide

Our Experts Explain:

The Rules of Golf

Our Experts Explain the Rules of Golf USGA rules experts provide insight and explanations on rules decisions and interpretations. The experts will also address commonly asked rules questions.

Handicapping

The USGA Handicap System™ enables golfers of all skill levels to compete on an equitable basis. USGA experts will help explain "The USGA Handicap System" manual – the USGA's handicapping equivalent of "The Rules of Golf" and address commonly asked questions. This section of the site will also features a Course Handicap™ calculator that allows players to convert their Handicap Index to the Course Handicap for any course that has been properly rated.

Equipment

The USGA tests balls, clubs, and other equipment for conformity to the Rules of Golf. Here, the Research and Test Center staff explains how golf equipment is tested, discusses its research about why and how golf equipment works the way it does and describes the USGA’s role in establishing equipment standards for the game of golf.

Rule of the Day

27-2b/4 Provisional Ball Played from Beyond Where Original Ball Likely to Be But Not Beyond Where Original Ball Found
Q:

A player, believing his tee shot might be lost or on a road defined as out of bounds, played a provisional ball. He searched for his original ball but did not find it. He went forward and played his provisional ball. Then he went further forward and found his original ball in bounds. The original ball must have bounced down the road and then come back into bounds, because it was found much farther from the tee than anticipated. Was the original ball still the ball in play?

No. The player played a stroke with the provisional ball from a point nearer the hole than the place where the original ball was likely to be. When he did so, the provisional ball became the ball in play and the original ball was lost -- Rule 27-2b.

The place where the original ball in fact lay was irrelevant.

See the Previous Rule of the Day

Today in Golf History

Nov 21, 2009

1952 Birthday of Gary Koch, 1970 U.S. Junior Amateur champion

Gary Koch won the 1970 U.S. Junior Amateur at the Athens (Ga.) Country Club, defeating Mike Nelms, 8 and 6. Koch was medalist of the 1968 Junior Amateur but lost in the first round. Koch has been a golf broadcaster since 1990 and has covered numerous USGA championships since joining NBC in 1997.

Visit the USGA Museum to learn more about the history of golf.