International Golf Federation

On 2 May 1958, the first documented step was marked toward the formal creation of the World Amateur Golf Council, as delegates from 35 nations convened in Washington, D.C. for a meeting co-organized by the USGA and The R&A. The body was created to oversee the arrangement and management of the World Amateur Team Championships, specifically, the Eisenhower Trophy for men. The Federation changed its name from the World Amateur Golf Council to the International Golf Federation in 2003 to reflect its transition to governing all of golf. In 2009, following the 13th Olympic Congress, the IOC voted to reintroduce golf at the 2016 Summer Olympics, under the sanction of the International Golf Federation. ==Secretariat==

The headquarters of the IGF is located by the shores of Lake Geneva in Lausanne, Switzerland. ==Jurisdiction==

Unlike most internationally recognized sports federations, the IGF is not responsible for developing, maintaining or administering the rules of golf. Instead, the rules are jointly developed and administered by the United States Golf Association (for the United States and Mexico only) and The R&A (the governing body derived from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the historical codifier of the rules of golf), the two oldest governing bodies in golf history. ==Events==

Olympic Games The globalization of the sport has meant that following a couple of failed attempts, the International Olympic Committee's executive board approved the reinstatement of golf in the Olympics by a vote of 63 votes to 27 in 2009. The sport debuted as a core sport in the 2016 Summer Olympics and will be included in all subsequent games as so. It was also featured at the early Olympics in 1900 and 1904. World Amateur Golf Team Championships The World Amateur Golf Team Championships was started from 1958 for men and 1964 for women. Men The Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world team championship for amateur men golfers. First held in 1958, the event is named after Dwight D. Eisenhower who was the President of the United States at the time. Women The Espirito Santo Trophy is a biennial world team championship for amateur women golfers. It was first held in 1964, organised by Mrs. Henri Prunaret and Lally Segard, and named after Ricardo and Silvia Espirito Santo, friends of Segard who donated the trophy. ==Category==

National Federations IGF comprises 132 federations from 126 countries Continental / Regional Federations The following seven regional association are formed with the IGF National Membership. • Africa Golf Confederation • Americas Golf Association • Arab Golf Federation • Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation • Caribbean Golf Association • • South American Golf Federation ==See also==