A player is allowed to keep using and/or to repair any club damaged during the round, no matter what the damage and even if the player damaged it in anger. A player is not allowed to replace a damaged ...

The USGA is reinforcing its commitment to broadening golf’s reach with a new round of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) grants awarded to 26 First Tee chapters across the United ...

There is no longer a penalty if a ball played from the putting green hits a flagstick left in the hole. Players are not required to putt with the flagstick in the hole; rather, they continue to have ...

Below are common questions related to the reinstatement of a golfer’s amateur status. The Rules in their entirety, including Guidance Notes, can be found at www ...

Explore the history and contributions of past USGA Presidents who have shaped the United States Golf Association.

Accidental movement of your golf ball during a round is one of many areas in the Rules that underwent a lot of player-friendly change in the new 2019 Rules. Still, some golfers may be confused about ...

The word 'golf' is not an acronym for anything. Rather, it derives linguistically from the Dutch word 'kolf' or 'kolve,' meaning quite simply 'club.' In the Scottish dialect of the late 14th or early ...

Your Course Handicap is the number of strokes you’ll receive (or give) on a specific golf course. For an 18-hole round, it's calculated as follows: Course Handicap = Handicap Index X (Slope Rating / ...

5.2a/1 – Modification of a Player’s Initial Handicap Index Due to Evidence of Previous Ability A player submits three scores to obtain an initial Handicap Index, which result in calculated Score ...

The clubhead must be generally plain in shape. All parts must be rigid, structural in nature and functional. The clubhead or its parts must not be designed to resemble any other object. It is not ...

Since its founding in 1920, the Green Section has led the USGA’s efforts to improve golf course playing conditions and sustainability through research, education, course consulting, technology tools ...

Come join us this summer at our Open Championships! Whether you work in on-site activation, operations or with our volunteers, you will gain valuable experience and see firsthand how an exemplary golf ...