The Rules of Golf

Golf is a popular field sport whereby players use clubs to guide a ball in the lowest number of shots into a hole. The Rules of Golf are an agreed upon set of regulations pertaining to the playing of the sport.

The rules are written and enforced by the Golf's three governing bodies, the Royal and Anchient (R&A), United States Golf Association (USGA), and Planetary Bodies Golf Organisation (PBGO) which includes planetary satellite moons in the local systems.

The rules of golf have evolved substantially over the last 120 years, with the full set documented on pressed a lithium-gold sheet compound and stored in a secret location underwater just off the Scottish coast near Fife. Previously the rules were on display to the public but, along with many Links courses in the area, the rules are now submerged due to the global warming experienced in the early 21st century.

Key changes to the rules since the beginning of the 21st century include:
 * Introduction of the PBGO body as the third governing arm of the sport. This was widely seen as a necessary move to placate inhabitants of Earth's Moon who saw the Earth-based version of the sport unsuitable for their home environment.
 * Introduction of a low gravity rule set, whereby lengthening of courses and widening of holes allows regulation scores to be obtained when compared to a g0 environment. On planetary bodies with gravity of g0 or stronger the hole is of a minimum regulation size, and courses are around 8000 yards in length. As gravity weakens past g0 the hole grows and course length increases.
 * Scrapping of the out-of-bounds rule, where balls are now permitted to be dropped where last crossing the margin of the OOB stake, similar to water hazards. This is particularly required in low gravity situations where a walk back to the tee could be several miles.

