Name a piece of equipment and there's a standard for it. Rules don't just happen.
Every sport has an agency to develop and refine standards.
If there aren't rules, the sport will break down into sheer chaos. A rule maker has to write standards that are reasonable and reward skill. After all, that's what games are - a test of human skill, whether against others or yourself. A rule maker has to be responsible to its sport and make its decisions based on what it believes is best for the game. I would favorably compare the rules of golf, including its equipment rules, to any other sport.