RCGA Grads Earn Merit Of Distinction From R&A

Rules of Golf Officials from thirty-three nations attended the 19th Annual Referees School in Scotland at the St. Andrews Golf Course--a four day seminar to gain further knowledge in a variety of golf topics, taught by R & A instructors.

The event was deemed a success with particular praise being given to the indoor demonstration area at the Fairmont Hotel, which had been created by the hotel's greenkeepers to offer clear visual representations of the scenarios under discussion.

Referees rotated around different areas to cover five separate topics; the bunker; the water hazard, the putting green; the teeing ground and out of bounds; and, finally, obstructions and abnormal ground conditions.

Those in attendance were also treated to a presentation by Andy McFee, the Senior Referee on the PGA European Tour who has himself taken the R&A Rules exam, during which he thoroughly diagnosed various televised Rules incidents.

The international nature of the School presented opportunities for R&A Rules staff to be reminded of the challenges that having one set of Rules for golfers playing the game in different climatic and physical conditions can pose.

"Our team of R&A instructors, myself included, benefited from mixing with officials from all over the world," explained Alan Holmes, Chairman of the Rules of Golf Committee. "In being asked questions about "Monsoon Rules" in Bangladesh, or "Sand Rules" in Libya - where water hazards are marked out with pegs - we're kept aware of how mindful The R&A must be that the Rules of Golf must be relevant and make for an enjoyable game no matter where it is played."

The vast majority of the delegates passed their written exam but, more importantly, they left St Andrews having developed their technical knowledge of the Rules, the clarity and accuracy of the rulings they will deliver and their confidence when doing so: skills which will undoubtedly stand them in good stead whether officiating at club level or in the final round of a Major championship.

The Rules of Golf and the RCGA

As the governing body of golf the RCGA holds the exclusive right to publish and distribute the Rules of Golf in Canada. The Rules are updated every four years through the work of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Scotland and the United States Golf Association. A joint committee of these associations, on which the Rules Chairman of the RCGA sits, is charged with revising, modernizing and improving the Rules of Golf and the Decisions on the Rules of Golf. These two documents form the complete Rules of Golf that are used universally throughout the world of golf.

In addition to publishing the Rules, the RCGA has created a national Rules Education Program that leads to national certification as a Rules Official. The program description is contained on the: RCGA Rules Education Page
You will also find links to the lists of conforming clubs and balls that are used by all associations and updated monthly by the USGA.

For clubs or committees in charge of competitions, the Conditions of Competition and Standard Local Rules that the RCGA implements at all RCGA championships is posted for your reference. In addition, a list of local rules that should be considered is available on The Local Rules page of the RCGA website.

Finally, if you are unable to find an answer to your Rules question by referring to the Rules of Golf book or the Decisions on the Rules of Golf, you can submit your question directly to the RCGA by clicking here: RCGA - - Ask the Expert