Traditional rules of golf

thumb

The Traditional Rules of Golf (TRGA) is an authority of the game of golf that grounds itself in the historical traditions of the game. The TRGA promotes that golf be played honestly and with sportsman like conduct. Traditionally, the rules of the game are designed to follow four principles or pillars of importance.

(1) Simplicity

The TRGA believes that golf is a simple game and that the ball should be played as it lies whenever possible with very few exceptions. The TRGA also believes that the rules for "Out of Bounds" "Lost Ball" and "Unplayable Lie" should have one uniform penalizing procedure.

(2) Fairness

The penalty fitting the crime is a guiding force throughout the TRGA rule book.
The TRGA believes that both professional players and amateurs should be playing off the same rule book, and that the weekend golfer should be able to play by the rules without slowing down play, or otherwise violating the rules that would be enforceable at the bigger professional events.

(3) Self Government

TRGA believes that the game of golf should be self governing much like other games such as chess or bowling. TRGA believes the game should be enjoyed at all levels without the fear of being disqualified, for example, if an improper drop were to be taken during a competition.

(4) Preservation

TRGA believes that the rules need not be changed to make the game easier and that part of the intrigue of golf lies within the fact that golf is a difficult game to master.

(4.1) Preservation of skill and technique
The TRGA stands firm in opposition to the USGA and the The R&A in that the game of golf is not better off by allowing technology to make the game easier for the golfer particularly with the driver or driving club. Tradition has shown that a 250 yard drive was an acceptable distance by top players from the invention of steel shafted woods with persimmon heads as far back as the 1920's all the way into the early 1990's before the age of enlarged titanium headed clubs. The TRGA believes that a golfer's ability to increase their distance off the tee should be done through better technique of the swing, not by a race on technology. Designing clubs with larger sweet spots again devalues the golfers efforts to strike the ball properly and with precision. The TRGA believes this continuing devaluation of technique is stifling the development of the golf swing itself. The replacement of long irons with various easy to hit hybrid clubs has furthered this deterioration.

(4.2) Preservation of the Golf Course

The preservation of golf's hallowed playing sites in particular should stand the test of time even at the highest levels of competition and not be outdated due to radical technological advances in the equipment used to play the historical game.

The TRGA supports the vision of master architect Alister MacKenzie with regard to golf course design and preservation. In MacKenzie's published work of 1920 ("13 General Principles of Golf Course Architecture") The TRGA follows Dr. MacKenzie's lead.

1. Dr. MacKenzie believed golf should be walked or assisted with a caddy.

2. There should be a short walk between a green and the next tee.

3. There should be an emphasis upon natural beauty, not upon artificial gimmicks.

4. A course should be enjoyable for the weaker player and challenging for the stronger player.

5. There should be an absence of searching for lost balls, therefore, an absence of heavy rough.

6. A player should be forced to use every club in the bag.

A typical 18 hole par 72 Championship golf course consists of (4) 5 pars, (4) 3 pars with the heart of the test being the (10) 4 pars. These ten 4 pars are divided into different lengths that are intended to challenge or test the golfers ability and skill with all the irons in their bag. A classic championship course should offer three long 4 pars 430 yards or longer, that would require a skilled golfer to hit an appropriate drive and a long iron approach usually a 1,2,3 or 4 iron.

The mid range holes 380 yards to 429 yards challenge the golfer with irons 5,6 and 7 irons.

Finally, the three short 4 par holes measuring under 380 yards give the golfer an opportunity to test his or her short irons shots 8,9 and wedges.

The measuring stick or benchmark used by the great golf course architects of the past had been the 250 yard drive. TRGA believes that the five par should more often than not take three strokes to reach the green, and only in the case of an extremely well struck drive that would be significantly better than average for a fine player, should the golfer be in a position to reach the 5 par green in two strokes. This type of risk and reward for the golfer to "go for it" is exciting and dramatic for golf. A common assessment of the modern game is that by adding 20% in shot length, the 250 yard drive is now closer to 300 yards with the same relative stroke of the player, and this has made most of the 5 pars for all intent and purpose now 4 pars. To counter this situation, the modern game is now designing golf courses longer than ever before taking up more land, costing more in maintenance, water, fertilizer and so forth.

(4.3) Preservation of the Equipment

The TRGA stands firm in opposition to the USGA and the The R&A on the "open door policy" regarding technology within the game of golf.
TRGA believes that golf's "woods" should ironically be made of wood, as other games have kept to their wooded traditions such as Baseball, and Cricket without much incident.

Arguments

TRGA believe that golfers should be encouraged to walk the course. Walking is healthy, enjoyable,
quieter, and better for the course. A course without cart paths is more fair and also desirable.

Walking encourages a player to take a caddy instead of a cart, and this is a great opportunity for employment and introduces new golfers and youngsters to the game. Caddying offers a chance for the average folk to interact with successful people who typically play the game of golf.

TRGA argues that keeping golf courses shorter puts more emphasis upon golf and not walking.

Making a game easier, does not necessitate it being more enjoyable.

TRGA believes that just because technology is available, it doesn't necessitate it's application. For example; baseball has remained enjoyable and seen growth without melon sized titanium bats that would radically change the game, quickly abolish long standing hitting records, and taint the historical traditions the game has been built upon.

TRGA believes that keeping restrictions on driving clubs forces the golfer to use all the clubs in their bag, including long irons. This is good to preserve both the skill needed to play as well as the swing itself.

TRGA believes that professional players are the role models of the game.
Touring pros should be playing by the same rules as the average golfer and this should be exemplified by a set of rules that are not only easy to follow, but also functional and encourage a quick pace of play.

Changes of Note (Rules)

Several very distinct differences set the TRGA apart from other organizations that offer golfers ruling guidelines.

1. TRGA like other sports acknowledges an "in play" vs. "out of play" definition. A player may declare his ball out of play at anytime upon the course and take the appropriate penalty.

2. A golfer may choose to putt with the pin either in the hole or removed.

3. TRGA has much stricter equipment rules than either the USGA or the R and A.

4. TRGA never sends a player back to the tee to replay a lost ball or out of bounds shot. This is a terrible contributor to slow play globally and is not in tradition with the origins of the game. TRGA uses a universal yardage penalty in combination with the rules of "in" and "out" of play.
See TRGA Rules Section

Basic Rule Sections

(1) STARTING THE HOLE and ESTABLISHING "IN PLAY"

(2) RELIEF WITH THE BALL BEING "IN PLAY"

(3) DROPPING PROCEDURE:

(4) PLAYING THE BALL AND PROCEDURES FOR "OUT OF PLAY"

(5) ADDITIONAL PENALTIES

(6) PUTTING PROCEDURES

(7) SCORING AND SCORECARD

(8) CADDIES, CARTS, ARTIFICIAL AIDS, ADVICE

(9) RULES OF EQUIPMENT

(10) ADVICE

(11) GOLF COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR TRADITIONAL TOURNAMENT PLAY (REGULATION COURSE)

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu