123456
Can’t imagine why this site hasn’t been covered here earlier. Perhaps it was just too obvious, or perhaps we are just too busy with hickory golf and the USGA whispers not a word of such activities on its site. Nonetheless, the website of the reigning and governing body of modern golf in the United States is worth bookmarking for several reasons.
Rules are rules and the USGA’s web page on rules is excruciatingly detailed. You can find out whatever arcane rules detail that piques your curiosity. For example, rule 18-2b supercedes Rule 16-2 in the case of a player’s ball overhanging a hole falls into the hole after he addresses it. Just in case you were wondering. There are rules decisions, rules workshops, rules quizzes, rules in competition guidelines, etc….. And to help you through all this, there are expert explanations of rules decisions.
Enough about rules. The section on handicapping explains how handicaps are derived, how to get a handicap index, course ratings and calculators and, of course, expert explanations of all this. Our hickory handicaps derived through the SoHG website are similarly derived and, in all important aspects, mirror the USGA system.
Though hickory is our game, it’s interesting to poke around the Equipment section to get a read on what’s on the minds of the USGA high sheriffs regarding today’s clubs and balls.
The Championships page shows what’s coming up in the way of events and offers news on all USGA-sponsored amateur and professional events. You can also purchase tickets to USGA golf events through the site. Other USGA web pages offer details on club affiliations (there are some 9,500 clubs, courses and qualified practice facilities that sport USGA membership); golf course care and maintenance, USGA membership information and a shop where you can find hats, corporate logo merchandise, books and photographs from its archives. This last selection is interesting. For example, one can select a nice photo of Old Tom Morris ranging from $50 for an unframed 8-by-10 up to $425 for a mahogany-framed 16-by-24. There are several old historic black and whites with lots of Bobby Jones, and other pros and golf celebs of the day, memorable moments from events past, and color photos of today’s championship courses.
The USGA site is professionally done and well maintained. Explore its resources and you’ll find a wealth of information about the game we love – even if it’s not all about hickory!
Send your favorite links to: jdavis2364@gmail.com. We’ll share them through the newsletter and on the SoHG website under “Resources.”