The original rules of golf - The Glenmuir Journal

As the rules of golf face a huge overhaul for 2019, we take a look at the 13 original rules in 1744…

Humans have been playing golf for hundreds of years, with an earlier form – consisting of hitting a feather-stuffed ball with tree branches – being traced back to Scotland in the 1450s. How the game developed into its current form is something we don’t fully know, as no golf rules survived from the game’s earlier years – that is, until the 18^th century.

The ‘original’ rules of golf come from a written list dating back to 1744. The rules were written down by The Gentlemen Golfers of Leith for the Annual Challenge for the Edinburgh Silver Cup – and some of the 13 points are still in play today.

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

In today’s rules, the teeing grounds are two club lengths in depth.

2. Your Tee must be upon the Ground.

Back in the 18^th century, tees were made of small pyramids of sand.

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

This rule shows that the ‘one ball’ rule applied all those centuries ago.

4. You 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.

The loose impediments rule is now embedded in the current rulebook as Rule 23.

5. If your Ball come among Water, or any watery filth, you 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.

You’ll probably recognise this one as the origin of the one-stroke water hazard penalty.

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

This rule remains in the modern rulebook as Rule 22-2.

7. At Holing, 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.

Rule seven is a clear way of trying to avoid foul play – for example, by trying to hit an opponent’s ball out of the way with your own.

8. If you should 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.

This wordy rule is now Rule 27-1, proceeding under stroke and distance.

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

Rule 9 now refers to our Rule 8-2, indicating line of play – except on the putting green, a player can have the line of play indicated to him by anyone before the stroke is being made.

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

You’ll recognise this one as Rule 19, ball in motion deflected or stopped – where there is no penalty, but the ball must be played where it lies.

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.

Nowadays, a stroke is any swing of a club made by a golfer trying to strike the ball.

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

This one’s pretty easy to understand – and one of the rules that is practically unchanged.

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 playd with any Iron Club.

Number 13 is commonly perceived as the first local rule, and also what we’d now call ground under repair – for which the individual golf club has the responsibility of marking. Any golfer whose ball comes to rest in the area is given free relief.