The Ladies European Tour is encouraging all of its members to take the The R&A Rules Academy Course Level 1 to help them improve their knowledge of the Rules of Golf.

The Rules Academy is available at www.RandA.org/RulesAcademy 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. At the end of the free online course, there is the opportunity to take the exam.

Membership education is a pillar of the LET’s development strategy and CEO Ivan Khodabahksh commented: “The LET is committed to inspiring and empowering its members by connecting with other sports bodies to provide flexible and custom-made educational programmes and services. This basic Rules and Etiquette exam will allow our members to enjoy their games more, get qualified and may even open up other avenues in the future. Knowing the rules well can be really helpful as it will helps to look at things in the right way and ask the right questions.”

Anyone can take a Level 1 Rules Exam and receive a certificate signed by their guiding player. Suzann Pettersen, a two-time Major champion and seven-time Solheim Cup player, said, “It’s easy to take the Rules for granted but in golf it is so important to understand the values of the game and show respect to your playing partners. Learning more about the Rules can help you get more out of the game so I would urge people to get online and take the course.”

David Rickman, The R&A’s Executive Director, Rules of Golf and Equipment Standards, said, “Contrary to what some people may think, the Rules are the same for amateurs and professionals alike and so we’re delighted that the LET is promoting the Rules Academy to its members. At such an elite level, where every decision and stroke counts, a better understanding of the Rules can only be of benefit.”  

The Academy is free to view and should take no more than two to three hours to complete. The Exam is optional and 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.