Come join us, and become part of history as many of our proud members do everyday.
Membership is open to all levels of golfers in all countries and we need your support!
Of course the best way to support The Traditional Rules of Golf is to play by them!

Can anyone join the TRGA? Of course. We welcome golfers of all levels and abilities to join the TRGA. We have members ranging from beginners to Touring Professionals who enjoy the fairness and simplicity of TRGA rules.

Are there Historical references to the TRGA? Yes, enjoy a browse through golf history and the development of the game's rules. TRGA rules are grounded in concepts practiced through golf's wonderful, storied and traditional past.

Historical References

Can I play by TRGA rules and not join as a member? YES. We encourage everyone to play by TRGA rules. We're sure you'll enjoy the game even more, respecting it's fine traditions and simplicity.

How much is the cost of Membership? The cost of membership to the TRGA is free, however, we do ask for your support and a tax deductible donation is appreciated. We suggest an amount equaling the cost of a green fee at your home course. We need your support for our special junior golf and caddie programs, camps, and events to promote the game as we feel strongly it should be.

Will my home club allow me to play by TRGA rules? Of course they will. Nothing upsets golf clubs more than slow play. Players walking or riding back to the tee to hit shots, waiting for rules officials to show up to give complex drop procedures in tournaments, threats of disqualification from confusing rules infractions are all counter productive to the game's intentions and enjoyment.

How are handicaps figured? Our handicap system is based upon your evaluation of the golf course. We consider the course's yardage from the tees you played, but we let the players themselves make the best assessment of the days conditions, wind, rain, temperature, pin placements and so forth. The players themselves check the appropriate boxes, and our program sets your course to a standard that is consistent with how you found the course that day, not a rigid indexed figure that relies on someone's assessment of the course at some specific point in the past.

Who started the TRGA? The TRGA was founded by a group of professionals, former tour players, and experienced amateurs who spent many months debating and discussing the rules and how they can best be applied to the game with an eye towards it's preservation, practicality and most of all fairness.

Can I putt with the pin in? Yes, you can now putt with the pin in without receiving a two stroke penalty! As long as the ball reaches the bottom of the hole you can consider the hole played completed.

Can I declare my ball out of play at anytime? Yes, a player may declare his or her ball out of play at anytime and follow the drop procedure penalty that is both fair and consistent clearly spelled out in the Traditional Rules of Golf.

How does the TRGA help speed up play? The TRGA eliminates the need for the player to have to walk or ride back to the place of their last played shot when a ball is lost, believed to be OB or otherwise missing. Most golfers don't follow this rule anyway as it upsets everyone on the course and slows down the pace of play terribly. Nothing is more disturbing to a professional trying to make a living, than having to wait for a player to walk back to the tee and hit another shot. Waiting for rules officials to interpret complex rulings for dropping procedures and so forth, slows down play and is not fair to the players waiting in the groups behind. Hold ups disrupt the flow of play and often disturb the momentum of trailing players . The TRGA believes that pros and amateurs shoud be playing by the same set of rules just like in other games.

Can I use my modern clubs and still be within the rules? Check our list of conforming equipment to see if your clubs are legal withing the rules of the TRGA. Many modern clubs are conforming.

Should woods really be made out of wood? YES! The TRGA believes that woods should be made of wood, that's why we call them woods! The TRGA believes that the driver in particular should be a unique and personal club that is unlike any other players. Each piece of persimmon, the golfer's choice for centuries, is a beatiful crafted gem that sets the tone for the majority of your tee shots around the course. The golfer who can master the drives should be rewarded, and a well struck persimmon driver, places the ball in the correct positions on a golf course. Protecting golf's finest classic courses from becoming obsolete is one of the objectives of the TRGA.

Can I still find persimmon woods? There are still companies who produce new persimmon woods. Many clubmakers today produce conforming irons that meet the requirements of TRGA events. New steel shafts are readily available if a golfer is interested in retro fitting an older persimmon wood(s). A qualified club repair person can do the work timely and fairly inexpensively.

Is the TRGA environmentally friendly? We believe the TRGA encourages golf courses to remain a resonable length therefore requiring much less water and fertilizer. Keeping costs down for golf clubs and their members,is benificial to both private and public establishments. The race to build the longest course is not consistent with golf's glorious past and a championship course of 6800 yards will offer even the top professional's the challenge of hitting a variety of long, mid and short iron shots thoughout a world class competition. Persimmon is a plentiful and renewable resorce. There is nothing quite like the feel and sound of a well struck persimmon drive. Give it a try!