What goes on behind the scenes at the R&A’s Rules of Golf department?

Steve Carroll

Decisions made here affect every golfer on the planet. Grant Moir, the R&A’s director of rules, joins the From the Clubhouse podcast from NCG to give us a fascinating insight into his world

You can’t watch a golf tournament now without social media dissecting every inch of the Rules of Golf. Was that drop from the right place, did that player take the right procedures?

Whether it’s because of the changes that came in at the start of 2019, or that ability to discuss in real time incidents that happen on the professional tours, there’s no doubt interest in the Rules of Golf have surged in recent years.

That’s permeated through every part of the game – I get field plenty of questions from you as part of our regular rules columns.

Helping to drive that interest forward is my guest on the From the Clubhouse podcast this week, the R&A’s director of Rules Grant Moir.

Grant’s Rules from the Garden and the 12 Rules of Christmas have been some of the highlights of golf during lockdown over the past year and a recent Rules Week held by the governing body has only reinforced that.

We talked about the recent refereeing qualification that’s been launched by the governing body, what an average – non Covid day looks in the rules part – and Grant reveals his favourite refereeing memory.

The From the Clubhouse podcast with R&A Rules of Golf director Grant Moir

Listen to the full episode in the player below…

What do you think of the R&A’s new rules qualification? Is it something you’d be interested in pursuing? Let me know in the comments, or tweet me.

About the author

Steve Carroll

A journalist for more than 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long.

A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A’s prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.

Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men’s Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.

A part of NCG’s Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He’d like to tell you he floats around 10. The reality is more like 13.

Steve plays at Sandburn Hall, in York, and is a country member at Close House in Newcastle. He has served on various club committees during his time in the game, and is the current Rules Secretary at Sandburn.

Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NCTJ exams at Darlington College of Technology. He began his career working on weekly papers in Newcastle, before joining the York Press in 2001. After five years as a news reporter, he joined the sports desk – specialising in horse racing and snooker – and was Digital Sports Editor when he joined National Club Golfer in 2016.

What’s in Steve’s bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Odyssey 2Ball Microhinge putter.

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