The Rules of Golf have evolved and altered significantly since the original 13 were laid out by the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers way back in 1744. The current Rules are extensive and, although there are technically only 25 of them, a huge amount of detail exists within each of those 25 Rules to cover all possible scenarios that could transpire during a round of golf.
Over the years, the Rules have changed as they have become unified between and then modified by The R&A and the USGA. They continue to be refined and, currently, an updated and improved set of Rules are released every four years. The most recent upgrade was in 2023.
Rules can, and have been altered and others have been discarded completely as the governing bodies continue to work to improve the game and deliver a more enjoyable playing experience for participants. Here we consider 10 Golf Rules that no longer exist.
The Stymie
The stymie called for drastic measures
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The stymie was eliminated when the first joint USGA and R&A Rules of Golf came into effect in 1952.
Prior to those rules, if one player’s ball on the putting green interfered with another player’s line of putt, the interfering ball could only be marked if the two balls were within six inches of each other. If they were more than six inches apart, there was no provision for marking the ball nearer the hole and the player simply had to play around or over the interfering ball.
The Seeded Divot Hole Rule
Repairing a divot hole with seed mix
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Prior to a revision in 2010, clubs and committees had the authority to make a Local Rule that allowed for free relief from a seeded divot hole. Most clubs had that Local Rule in place. In the revised Rules that came into effect on 1st January 2010, the authority to use the Local Rule pertaining to seeded divot holes was removed. Since then, if your ball lands in any divot hole, seeded or not, you have to play it. Tough break if you land in a cavernous one in the middle of the fairway but, that’s how it is!
The Small Ball Rule
This one is probably a touch big
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Up until 1990, the minimum size of golf balls in the Rules of Golf was not standardised. The USGA had a minimum size of 1.68 inches while The R&A specified a minimum size of just 1.62 inches.
The smaller British ball flew a bit further and straighter than the larger American ball and it wasn’t until 1974 that the The R&A barred the use of the small…
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