The Original Rules of Golf, in the United States and Scotland

The first rules of golf for the United States were published in November of 1893 as follows:

1. Competitors hall note each other's scores, checking same at each hole.

2. If a ball be lost, the player shall return as nearly as possible to the spot where the ball was struck, tee another ball and lose a stroke.

3. All balls shall be holed out, and when play is nearest the hole shall have the option of holing out first. Throughout the green, a competitor can have the other competitor's ball lifted, if he finds that it interferes with his stroke.

4. A ball under penalty of two (2) strokes may be lifted out of a difficulty of any description and teed behind the same.

5. Competitors may not discontinue play because of bad weather.

6. The penalty for breach of any rule shall be disqualification.

7. The ordinary rules of golf, so far as they are not at variance with these special rules, shall apply to this match.

From these seven original rules come all of the rules used in golf today. For more details, visit The United States Golf Association.

The USGA and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, jointly write and interpret the Rules of Golf to guard the tradition and integrity of the game.

The Original 13 Rules of Golf, written in 1745 at Muirfield, Scotland

1. You must Tee your Ball, within a Club’s length of the Hole.

2. Your Tee must be upon the Ground.

3. Your are not to change the Ball which you Strike off the Tee.

4. Your are not to remove, Stones, Bones or any Break Club for the sake of playing your Ball, Except upon the fair Green & that only within a Club’s length of your Ball.

5. If your Ball comes among Watter, or any Wattery Filth, your are at liberty to take out your Ball & bringing it behind the hazard and Teeing it, you may play it with any club and allow your Adversary a Stroke for so getting out your Ball.

6. If your Balls be found anywhere touching one another, You are to lift the first Ball, till you play the last.

7. At Holling, you are to play your Ball honestly for the Hole, and, not to play upon your Adversary’s Ball, not lying in your way to the Hole.

8. If you shou’d lose your Ball, by its being taken up, or any other way, you are to go back to the Spot, where you struck last & drop another Ball, and allow your Adversary a Stroke for the misfortune.

9. No man at Holling his Ball, is to be allowed, to mark his way to the Hole with his Club or, any thing else.

10. If a Ball be stopp’d by any person, Horse, Dog, or any thing else, The Ball so stop’d must be played where it lyes.

11. If you draw your Club, in order to Strike & proceed so far in the Stroke, as to be bringing down your Club; if then, your Club shall break, in, any way, it is to be Accounted a Stroke.

12. He, whose Ball lyes farthest from the Hole is obliged to play first.

13. Neither Trench, Ditch, or Dyke, made for the preservation of the Links, nor the Scholar’s Holes or the Soldier’s Lines, Shall be accounted a Hazard; But the Ball is to be taken out/Teed/ and play’d with any Iron Club.