When you hit a shot that you think might result in a lost ball or in your ball coming to rest out of bounds, you have the option of playing a provisional ball to save time.

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 ...

*Closed on major holidays and for private events. Please check the website for updates on hours of operation and closures.

If you have a question about the Rules of Golf or the Rules of Amateur Status, please reference the below resources for guidance. If the answer to your question cannot be found in one of our resources ...

A Playing Handicap is the actual number of strokes you receive or give during a round, and it’s the number used for scoring in a game or competition. While it’s often the same as your Course Handicap, ...

Sand Valley Resort, in Nekoosa, Wis., has been chosen by the USGA as the host site for four USGA championships, beginning with the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2026. The 2029 U.S. Junior Amateur, 2030 U.S.

The following are the main changes to the Rules of Golf that took effect on January 1, 2019. The items covered on this page are organized into nine categories. Within each individual item, you will ...

This content was first published in Golf Journal, a quarterly print publication exclusively for USGA Members. To be among the first to receive Golf Journal and to learn how you can help make golf more ...

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 ...

Scoring, articles, photos, videos and all content related to the 2021 U.S. Women's Amateur, conducted by the USGA at Westchester Country Club in Rye, N.Y., August 2-8.

New Rule: Rule 17.1d removes the option to take relief on the opposite side of a red penalty area (the new term that includes what was previously called a lateral water hazard): This means that, when ...

A strict prohibition on touching or moving loose impediments or touching the ground in a water hazard has never been practical, and so a series of exceptions had to be recognized in previous Rule 13-4 ...