Golf can only be played outdoors for approximately two weeks out of every year in Canada due to the climate. As a result, cangolf.com has evolved Canadian Rules Golf from the Ancient form of Golf. The differences take into consideration the distinctness of Canada, its climate and its environment.

In the same way that there are differences between Canadian Football and other types of Football, the Canadian game comes from the same root but offers variations for the local culture and customs. These rules were developed by cangolf.com to take some of the severe seasonal differences out of the game making it easier to compare performance through the course of the playing season.

These rules only apply to Canadians or Canadian residents, sorry. Note: these rules may be applied, by those who qualify, to play on golf courses outside of Canada. Use of Canadian rules must be declared before beginning a match.

1. Winter conditions are judged to be always in effect, particularly in relation to improving the ball's lie.

2. Since all water hazards are presumed to be in normal Canadian condition, i.e. frozen, a ball striking water will have presumed to have bounced across. The ball should then be placed where it is judged to have normally landed after bouncing on the ice.

3. Since Canada is remote from the Sahara and desert conditions are not climatically consistent with the country's geography, sand will be considered an unnatural obstacle. The ball should therefore be placed away from the sand at a point equidistant from the hole.

4. Canada uses the metric system. Therefore, no more than ten strokes can be counted on any one hole.

5. A player may use only one club per stroke. Therefore, if the ball, once struck, hits a wood object then that second, or third, or fourth hit will be disallowed. The ball should then be placed where its natural flight path, from the first stroke, would have carried it.

6. Because of Canada's commitment to the environment, the ball must be removed from proximity to any vegetation which could be harmed accidentally by the player. This includes overhanging branches and nearby tree and/or bushes. Remember, it is only a game to you; but it could be a life to the plant. If in British Columbia, you must hug the tree after moving your ball to a less threatening placement.

7. When warning players ahead, players must simultaneously shout "Fore" and "Quatre" due to Canada's bilingual culture. Any player who gives undue emphasis to one language or the other may be penalized by up to un stroke.

8. Despite Canada's enthusiasm for curling, there is no sweeping allowed on putts in motion to improve distance or straighten their direction.

9. Given the winter conditions, warm up is extremely difficult. Therefore, the first tee may substitute for the warm. As many strokes as required to achieve a satisfactory result may be taken from the first tee.

10. A ball that can not easily be found will be considered to have been "lost in the snow" for which there is no penalty. The player must loudly make this declaration. A replacement ball can then be placed on the fairway where the first is judged to have landed. Note: to standardize playing conditions, this rule will be in effect all year, regardless of the presence of snow.

11. Recognizing Canada's proximity to the North Pole where gravity is stronger, a ball which passes over the cup will be deemed to have fallen in.

12. High scores in Canadian Golf are often identified in reference to local objects. For example, a 7 is a hockey stick, an 8 a snowman, a 9 is a lacrosse stick.

NOTATION:
To simulate the normal Canadian climate conditions, wherever Canadian rules golf is played, all beer served must be icy cold.

We invite readers to provide us with their own regional rules for cangolf.com's Canadian Rules. In Quebec, for instance anyone from Ontario may be immediately assessed a two stroke penalty, and vice versa. In British Columbia, it is legal to smoke certain types of vegetation if found on the course.