R&A Online Rules Academy

17th July 2013: The R&A has lauched a new free online course to help golfers and administrators to improve their knowledge of the Rules of Golf.

The Rules Academy is available here and is based on the Etiquette Section and the Quick Guide to the Rules of Golf (a short summary of the most commonly occurring Rules). Users are guided by either Padraig Harrington or Suzann Pettersen who are both R&A Working for Golf Ambassadors.

The course features videos, images and diagrams of Rules situations and includes revision questions after each section. It covers the essentials that all golfers should know such as sportsmanship, integrity and respect. It adopts a tee to green approach and tells you what you need to know at each point; from where to tee your ball, to taking relief from various conditions, to holing out and returning the scorecard.

At the end of the course, people can take a Level 1 Rules Exam and recieve a certificate signed by their guiding player.

The R&A operates a three-tier Rules Education Programme and the Rules Academy is based on the Level 1Introductory Rules Schools that it conducts around the world in conjunction with its affiliated bodies.

The Academy is free to view and should take no more than two to three hours to go through. The Exam costs £10 to take with the proceeds going to The R&A's Working for Golf programme. Each year The R&A invests £5 million in the programme, which supports the development of the game around the world.