The R&A
The R&A is the ruling authority of golf throughout the world except the United States and Mexico, where this responsibility rests with the United States Golf Association (USGA). It works in collaboration with national amateur and professional golf organisations in more than one hundred and ten countries.
The R&A cooperates with the USGA in producing and regularly revising the "Rules of Golf", and the two bodies have issued the rules jointly since 1952. They also collaborate on the corresponding exegetic work, the "Decisions on the Rules of Golf". The R&A is also involved in formulating technical specifications for golfing equipment. Dr Steve Otto is the technical Director at the R&A. The R&A is based in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland.
The R&A founded what is now the Official World Golf Ranking for male professionals in 1986, and the World Amateur Golf Ranking for male amateurs in 2007.
Read more about this topic: The Royal And Ancient Golf Club Of St Andrews