The Rules of the Green: A History of the Rules of Golf

The Rules of the Green is an intriguing account of the game of golf from its origins as a simple diversion for soldiers and common folk to its development into a game of kings and queens to its modern form as a game of great popularity. In 1744, a group of Scottish gentlemen compiled a list of thirteen articles to serve as the first rules of golf. Revisiting these original edicts, Chapman examines the circumstances behind the changes and additions that turned these thirteen articles into the Rules of Golf for today's game. Through careful examination of rare early documents and written and oral traditions, Chapman reveals how changes in the rules of golf have altered the game - and the surprising ways in which the game has stayed the same.