The History of Golf

by Ben Johnson

“Golf is an exercise which is much used by a gentleman in Scotland……A man

would live 10 years the longer for using this exercise once or twice a week.”
Dr. Benjamin Rush (1745 – 1813)

Golf originated from a game played on the eastern coast of Scotland, in an area close to
the royal capital of Edinburgh. In those early days players would attempt to hit a pebble
over sand dunes and around tracks using a bent stick or club. During the 15th century,
Scotland prepared to defend itself, yet again, against an invasion by the ‘Auld Enemy’.
The nation’s enthusiastic pursuit of golf however, led many to neglect their military
training, so much so that the Scottish parliament of King James II banned the sport in
1457.

Although people largely ignored the ban, it was only in 1502 that the game gained the
royal seal of approval when King James IV of Scotland (1473 -1513) became the
world’s first golfing monarch.

The popularity of the game quickly spread throughout 16th century Europe thanks to
this royal endorsement. King Charles I brought the game to England and Mary Queen of
Scots (pictured to the right) introduced the game to France when she studied there; the
term ‘caddie’ derives from the name for her French military aides, known as cadets.

One of the premier golf courses of the day was at Leith near Edinburgh which hosted
the first international golf match in 1682, when the Duke of York and George Patterson
representing Scotland, beat two English noblemen.

The game of golf officially became a sport when the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith formed
the first club in 1744 and set up an annual competition with silverware prizes. The rules
for this new competition were drafted by Duncan Forbes. Rules that even now sound so
familiar to many;
…’If your ball comes among water, or any watery filth, you are at liberty to take out your
ball and bringing it behind the hazard and teeing it, you may play it with any club and
allow your adversary a stroke for so getting out your ball.’

The first reference to golf at its now recognised historic home town of St Andrews, was
in 1552. It was not until 1754 however that the St Andrews Society of Golfers was
formed to compete in its own annual competition using Leith’s rules.

The first ever 18-hole course was constructed at St Andrews in 1764, establishing the
now recognised standard for the game. King William IV honoured the club with the title
‘Royal & Ancient’ in 1834, with that recognition and its fine course the Royal and
Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews was established as the world’s premier golf club.

At this time golfers were using hand-crafted wooden clubs usually made from beech
with shafts of ash or hazel, and balls were made from compressed feathers wrapped in
a stitched horse hide.

During the 19th century as the might of the British Empire expanded to encompass the
globe, so golf followed closely behind. The first golf club formed outside Scotland was
the Royal Blackheath (near London) in 1766. The first golf club outside Britain was the
Bangalore, India (1820). Others quickly followed included the Royal Curragh, Ireland
(1856), the Adelaide (1870), Royal Montreal (1873), Cape Town (1885), St Andrew’s of
New York (1888) and Royal Hong Kong (1889).

The Industrial Revolution of the Victorian era brought with it many changes. The birth of
the railways allowed ordinary people to explore outside of their towns and cities for the
first time, and as a consequence golf clubs began to appear all over the countryside.
Mass production methods were adopted to manufacture the clubs and balls, making the
game more affordable to the average person. The game’s popularity exploded!
The forerunner to the British Open was played at the Prestwick Golf Club in 1860 with
Willie Park victorious. After this other legendary names of the game were born such as
Tom Morris, his son, Young Tom Morris, went on to be the first great champion, winning
the event a record four consecutive times from 1869.

The United States Golf Association (USGA) was established in 1894 to regulate the
game there, by 1900 more than 1000 golf clubs had been formed throughout the USA.
With the availability of serious funding through commercial sponsorship, the USA
quickly established itself as the centre of the professional game.

Today, it is the golf courses themselves that reflect the history of the game, with the US
courses presented as beautifully sculptured and manicured landscaped parklands,
unlike those in Britain, which are typically rough links courses with bunkers you can hide
London Double Decker buses in!

 Golf berasal dari permainan yang dimainkan di sebeuh daerah yang dekat dengan ibu kota
kerajaan Ediburg iaitu di pantai timur scotlandia.
 Pada mulanya, pemain bermain golf menggunakan batu-batu kerikil di atas bukit pasir dan di
sekitar trek menggunakan tongkat yang bengkok.
 Orang-orang di Scotland ni terlalu asyik bermain golf sehingga mengabaikan latihan ketenteraan
menyebabkan Raja James II melarang sukan golf ni pada tahun 1475.
 Namun mereka ada je yang melanggar peraturan tu sehinggakan pada tahun 1502 permainan ini
dipersetujui OLEH kerajaan dan pada masa ni Raja James Iv menjadi raja golf pertama dunia.
 Permainan semakin popular dan berkembang di eropah pada abad ke 16 apabila disokong oleh
kerajaan.Raja Charles pon terus memperkenalkan permainan ini di sekitar perancais.
 Permainan golf ni secara rasmi diiktirag sebagai sukan apabila Gentlemen Golfers of Leith
membentuk kelab pertama pada tahun 1744 dan mengadakan pertandingan tahunan dengan
hadiah perak
  Pada waktu ini pemain golf menggunakan tongkat kayu buatan tangan yang biasanya terbuat
dari beech dengan batang abu atau hazel, dan bola dibuat dari bulu mampat yang dibungkus
dengan kulit kuda yang dijahit.
 Revolusi Perindustrian pada zaman Victoria membawa banyak perubahan
 Persatuan Golf Amerika Syarikat (USGA) ditubuhkan pada tahun 1894 untuk mengatur
permainan di sana, pada tahun 1900 lebih dari 1000 kelab golf telah dibentuk di seluruh AS.

Golf adalah latihan yang banyak digunakan oleh seorang lelaki di Scotland ...... Seorang lelaki akan hidup
10 tahun lebih lama untuk menggunakan latihan ini sekali atau dua kali seminggu."

Dr. Benjamin Rush (1745 - 1813)

Golf berasal dari permainan yang dimainkan di pantai timur Skotlandia, di daerah yang dekat dengan ibu
kota kerajaan Edinburgh. Pada masa-masa awal pemain akan berusaha untuk memukul kerikil di atas
bukit pasir dan di sekitar trek dengan menggunakan tongkat bengkok atau klub. Selama abad ke-15,
Scotland bersiap untuk mempertahankan diri, sekali lagi, menentang pencerobohan oleh ‘Auld Enemy’.
Namun, sukan negara yang bersemangat untuk golf menyebabkan banyak orang mengabaikan latihan
ketenteraan mereka, sehingga parlimen Skotlandia Raja James II melarang sukan ini pada tahun 1457.

Walaupun orang banyak mengabaikan larangan itu, hanya pada tahun 1502 permainan ini mendapat
persetujuan kerajaan ketika Raja James IV dari Scotland (1473-1515) menjadi raja golf pertama di dun

Populariti permainan dengan cepat tersebar ke seluruh Eropah abad ke-16 berkat sokongan kerajaan ini.
Raja Charles I membawa permainan ke England dan Mary Queen of Scots (gambar di sebelah kanan)
memperkenalkan permainan itu ke Perancis ketika dia belajar di sana; istilah 'caddy' berasal dari nama
untuk pembantu tentera Perancisnya, yang dikenali sebagai kadet.

Salah satu lapangan golf utama hari ini adalah di Leith berhampiran Edinburgh yang menjadi tuan rumah
pertandingan golf antarabangsa pertama pada tahun 1682, ketika Duke of York dan George Patterson
yang mewakili Scotland, mengalahkan dua bangsawan Inggeris.

Permainan golf secara rasmi menjadi sukan ketika Gentlemen Golfers of Leith membentuk kelab
pertama pada tahun 1744 dan mengadakan pertandingan tahunan dengan hadiah perak. Peraturan
untuk pertandingan baru ini digubal oleh Duncan Forbes. Peraturan yang bahkan sekarang terdengar
begitu biasa bagi banyak orang;

... 'Jika bola anda masuk ke dalam air, atau kotoran berair, anda bebas mengeluarkan bola anda dan
membawanya ke belakang bahaya dan menggodanya, anda boleh memainkannya dengan mana-mana
kelab dan membiarkan lawan anda terkena serangan sehingga keluar bola anda. '
Rujukan pertama untuk golf di bandar asalnya St Andrews yang kini terkenal, adalah pada tahun 1552.
Namun pada tahun 1754, Persatuan Pemain Golf St Andrews dibentuk untuk bersaing dalam
pertandingan tahunannya sendiri dengan menggunakan peraturan Leith.

kini diiktiraf standard untuk permainan. Raja William IV menghormati kelab ini dengan gelaran 'Royal &
Ancient' pada tahun 1834, dengan pengiktirafan itu dan kursus baiknya, Royal and Ancient Golf Club of
St Andrews telah ditubuhkan sebagai sebuah kelab golf utama di dunia.

Pada waktu ini pemain golf menggunakan tongkat kayu buatan tangan yang biasanya terbuat dari beech
dengan batang abu atau hazel, dan bola dibuat dari bulu mampat yang dibungkus dengan kulit kuda
yang dijahit.

Selama abad ke-19 sebagai kekuatan Empayar Britain berkembang untuk merangkumi dunia, jadi golf
mengikuti di belakang. Kelab golf pertama yang dibentuk di luar Scotland ialah Royal Blackheath
(berhampiran London) pada tahun 1766. Kelab golf pertama di luar Britain adalah Bangalore, India
(1820). Yang lain diikuti dengan cepat termasuk Royal Curragh, Ireland (1856), Adelaide (1870), Royal
Montreal (1873), Cape Town (1885), St Andrew's of New York (1888) dan Royal Hong Kong (1889).

Revolusi Perindustrian pada zaman Victoria membawa banyak perubahan. Kelahiran kereta api
membolehkan orang biasa menjelajah di luar bandar dan bandar mereka untuk pertama kalinya, dan
akibatnya kelab golf mula muncul di seluruh kawasan luar bandar. Kaedah pengeluaran besar-besaran
digunakan untuk membuat kelab dan bola, menjadikan permainan lebih terjangkau bagi rata-rata orang.
Populariti permainan meletup!

Pendahulu untuk Terbuka Britain dimainkan di Prestwick Golf Club pada tahun 1860 dengan Willie Park
menang. Selepas ini nama-nama permainan legenda lain dilahirkan seperti Tom Morris, anaknya, Young
Tom Morris, terus menjadi juara hebat pertama, memenangi acara ini empat kali berturut-turut dari
tahun 1869.

Persatuan Golf Amerika Syarikat (USGA) ditubuhkan pada tahun 1894 untuk mengatur permainan di
sana, pada tahun 1900 lebih dari 1000 kelab golf telah dibentuk di seluruh AS. Dengan adanya dana yang
serius melalui penajaan komersial, AS dengan cepat menjadikan dirinya sebagai pusat permainan
profesional.

Hari ini, padang golf itu sendiri yang mencerminkan sejarah permainan, dengan kursus di AS yang
disajikan sebagai taman indah yang diukir dan dihiasi, tidak seperti di Britain, yang biasanya merupakan
kursus pautan kasar dengan bunker, anda boleh menyembunyikan bas London Double Decker di !

The Roots and History of Golf

The Origins of the Game of Kings
Golf is one sport that has lasted for many, many years. From players during the reign of
Caesar in golf’s earliest stages to players like Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy of today.
Golf has endured the test of time and has come through as an important sport in each
part of the globe.

Golf dates back to the time of Julius Caesar. Although it was not the golf that is played
today, it was a similar game. They played by striking a feather-stuffed ball with club-
shaped tree branches. Golf was also traced back to the Song Dynasty in China during
the years 960 to 1279. The games of these times were not exactly the golf that is known
today; the roots of today’s game can be traced back to Scotland in 1457. The game was
then outlawed by King James II of Scotland, as it detracted from the training for the
military.

Golf became a pastime in Great Britain in the seventeenth century, and that was a
familiar theme throughout the world. In 1860, the first British Open, a tournament that is
still played today, had taken place. The popularity of the sport then began to spread
throughout the entire world. The first permanent golf club in North America was founded
in Montreal, Canada, in 1873 and was named “Canada’s Royal Montreal Club.” The US
caught wind of this and decided to embrace the golf craze as well. The first 18-hole
course in the United States was in The Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois, in 1893.

The governing body of golf began as the United States Golf Association (USGA) in the
year 1894. Then the current governing body of today, the Professional Golf Association
of America, was founded in 1916. Both amateurs and professionals are allowed to play
in open events like the US Open and the British Open, which are “open” to the public.
However, there are certain events that amateurs are not allowed to play in, like the
world golf championships—the Accenture Match Play Championship or the Arnold
Palmer Invitational. These events are examples of professional events only.

Beginning in 1981, the name of the pro circuit was officially changed to the Tournament
Players Association (TPA) Tour. The name was changed again to its current name of
the Professional Golfers Association or the PGA tour. Tournament golf had become a
well-established spectator sport in the United States by the 1920s and has been gaining
popularity ever since. Golf is known around the globe and has gained popularity, as it is
becoming more televised and marketed. Golf seems to be a sport that will go on to live
forever.

A Brief History of Golf

APRIL 28, 2017 BY JIM WEATHERSBY 5 COMMENTS

Millions of people play golf every day around the world. Young and old, men and women, enjoy the
game that traces its roots as far back as 100 BCE in Rome. Through the magic of television, live
streaming on the internet and other forms of media, people today see the majestic beauty of
Augusta National, the ancient links of the Old Course at St. Andrews, the splendor of Pebble Beach,
or any one of the hundreds of courses on which today’s professionals showcase their superhuman
skills. Certainly, golf course design, technology, and the players have come a long way since the
nascent years of the game. The following will examine some of the history behind the game of golf,
specifically its development into what we know as golf today.
The earliest form of golf can be traced to ancient Rome where people played a game called
paganica around 100 BCE. Players hit a stuffed leather ball with a bent stick. During the Song
Dynasty (960 CE to 1279 CE) in China, participants played chuiw an, which was played with several
clubs and a ball.
A 1261 manuscript of Flemish poet Jacob van Maerlant referred to a game with a ball and club. The
reference may have been to the Dutch game called colf or kolf during which four players hit balls
over a certain distance with the winner being the one who reached the starting point of one of the
other players. Some colf or kolf games lasted multiple days.
However, the modern game of golf can trace its roots to Scotland. In a 1457 Act of the Scottish
Parliament, the game of gowf (golf) received its first mention. The Act prohibited the game because
King James II saw it as a distraction from archery practice, necessary for the defense of the
country.   Further mention of the game can be found in government documents in 1471 and 1491
banning the sport. By 1500, Scotland lifted all bans and within a couple of years, King James IV
purchased balls and clubs to play the game. At that time, balls were made of wood or hard leather
while clubs were made of wood, mostly beech, holly, pear, and apple. In 1724, various documents
referenced balls stuffed with feathers.
Royalty provided the impetus for the spread of golf in Europe.  Mary Queen of Scots began playing
golf in 1552.  Later, while studying in France, Mary introduced the sport there.  Interestingly, the term
“caddie” comes from her French military aides, referred to as cadets.  King Charles, I introduced the
sport to England in the 17th century.  While playing a round of golf at Leith in Scotland in 1641, he
learned of the beginning of the Irish Rebellion, which marked the beginning of the English Civil War. 
Unperturbed, Charles finished his round.
The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers (HCEG) established the first rules of golf in 1744.
Twenty years later, the Old Course at St. Andrews reduced its total holes from 22 to 18, establishing
the format for today’s game.
By 1826, hickory, imported from the United States, became the wood of choice for club shafts in
Great Britain. About 20 years later, the gutta percha ball became the ball of choice. The ball makers
placed strips of gutta percha (dried sap from a Sapodilla tree) in boiling water then molded the ball
by hand before submerging in cold water to harden it.
The first British Open Championship was played at Prestwick in 1860. The Royal Liverpool Golf Club
established the British Amateur Championship in 1885–Hoylake hosted the first tournament.
Montreal established the first permanent golf club in North America in 1873, Canada’s Royal
Montreal Club, while in 1894 the United States Golf Association (USGA) was formed in New York
with five charter members—St. Andrew’s Golf Club of Yonkers, New York; Newport (Rhode Island)
Golf Club; Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in South Hampton, New York; The Country Club in Brookline,
Massachusetts; and the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois.  A year later, the Newport Country
Club hosted the first United States Amateur Championship and United States Open.  The USGA
maintains the official rules of golf for the United States and Mexico.
By 1900, persimmon became the wood of choice for club heads while aluminum became a popular
alternative. Groove-faced irons, which promote increased backspin, entered the market two years
later.  Around the same time, the rubber-cored Haskell ball joined the list of new equipment. This ball
revolutionized golf because it traveled farther than the gutta-percha ball and cost much less to
manufacture. Golf enthusiasm and participation soared to new heights. By 1910, 267 clubs claimed
USGA membership.
In 1916, the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) was formed and the first PGA Championship
took place at Siwanoy Country Club in New York. Five years later the British team won the first
Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland. However, the United States team won the first Walker Cup in
1922 at Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York.
Golf technology continued to evolve and the Royal and Ancient (R&A), the recognized stewards of
the rules of golf everywhere except the United States and Mexico, accepted steel-shafted golf clubs
for the first time in 1929. The next year, Bobby Jones became the only person to achieve the Grand
Slam of golf with victories in the United States Amateur, the British Amateur, the United States
Open, and the British Open. Not long afterward, Jones was instrumental in designing Augusta
National Golf Club, where the first Masters took place in 1934. In 1939, the Royal and Ancient
indoctrinated the 14-club rule to promote individual skill and to prevent golfers from using an
inordinate amount of clubs.
Women shared the golf spotlight with the men beginning in 1932 when the United States team
defeated the team of Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup at the Wentworth Club in Surrey,
England.   The United States Women’s Open was staged for the first time in 1946 at Spokane
Country Club in Washington and four years later the Ladies’ Professional Golfers’ Association
(LPGA) was formed.
Since 1952 the R&A and the USGA have worked together to produce a common set of rules for
golfers worldwide called the “Rules of Golf.”  The rules are revised every four years.
More equipment changes followed World War II. Influenced by research in synthetic and composite
materials, golf club manufacturing changed. In 1963, the casting method for manufacturing club
heads was introduced.  This new technology lowered the costs of golf clubs, which led to increased
participation in the sport. Graphite shafts hit the market in 1973, which were lighter and stronger than
steel shafts. TaylorMade introduced the first metal woods in 1979. Callaway owns the honor of the
best-selling golf club in history, the Big Bertha, which hit the market for the first time in 1991.
Golf has a long and rich history. The game may have its roots as far back as ancient Rome and
China. Certainly, the game as we know it today can be traced to Scotland in the fifteenth century. As
technology changed over the years and equipment costs fell, more and more people began to play
the game. Arguably, it is the one sport that people can truly enjoy well into their later years in life. 
Play the game once and you will probably be hooked. Just remember to yell “fore!” after an errant
shot.
 Golf Questions
You’re Afraid to Ask:
Who invented golf,
and how did it
become so popular?
BY: JACKSON WALD  SEPTEMBER 26, 2020

 

A group of men playing golf at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, 1798.

GETTY
Welcome to the first installment of Golf Questions You’re Afraid to Ask (But
I’m Not), a GOLF.com series dedicated to helping beginners (and also
experienced players in need of a refresher!) learn the basic rules, strategy
and history of the game. My name is Jackson Wald, and I’ve
been GOLF.com’s intern for four months now. I grew up a fan of the game,
but I never learned the basic mechanics or fundamentals. So I guess I’d
consider myself a newcomer, and I’m not alone: In fact, according to the
National Golf Foundation, in just the last five years more than 12 million new
golfers visited a golf course for the first time. Twelve million! That’s why, with
(a lot of) help from GOLF Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzel, and various other
experts of the game, it seemed an ideal time to launch this series. I’m hopeful
you — the reader — and I can venture on this learning journey together.
***

For the first edition of GQYAA, I figured I’d start at the beginning. As in, who
came up with this crazy game, and how did it become so popular?
To better understand golf’s roots, I spoke with Maggie Lagle, a historian at the
United States Golf Association. Lagle provides tours throughout the USGA’s
museum — from school groups to former past champions — and conducts
research into the history of golf. Some of her most substantial work has
included studying how golf has influenced past U.S. Presidents, how military
veterans use the game as a rehabilitation tool and golf’s relevancy during
wartime.

During our conversation, Lagle and I discussed the origins of golf, its notable
figures and how the game has evolved over time. 

TRA V EL
6 observations from a 2-course, 36-hole day of golf in New York City
BY: ZEPHYR MELTON

Who invented golf?

According to Lagle, there is still quite a bit of debate among historians as to
the origins of golf, but there is no doubt that the Scots cultivated the
foundations of the modern game.

“Early ball and stick games can be traced back to the 13th century,” Lagle told
me. “Not only were these games being played in Europe, but they were also
being played in Asia and parts of Africa as well. There were even ball and
stick games that can be traced back to China in the 11th century, which is
pretty incredible.” But Scotland kept the precursor to the modern game alive,
and they were really the ones that ushered it into this present form, which
emerged in the 15th century.”
Why is it called golf?
Etymologically speaking, “golf” was derived from either the Dutch
work kolf or kolve, which simply translates to “club.” But then, as Lagle notes,
in the Scottish dialect of the late-14th and early-15th century, the Dutch term
became goff or gouff. It was only later in the 16th century when the word
“golf,” spelled the way we all know it now, appeared. 
Sejarah golf antarabangsa

 Golf berasal dari permainan yang dimainkan di sebeuh daerah yang dekat dengan ibu kota
kerajaan Ediburg iaitu di pantai timur scotlandia.
 Pada mulanya, pemain bermain golf menggunakan batu-batu kerikil di atas bukit pasir dan di
sekitar trek menggunakan tongkat yang bengkok.
 Orang-orang di Scotland ni terlalu asyik bermain golf sehingga mengabaikan latihan ketenteraan
menyebabkan Raja James II melarang sukan golf ni pada tahun 1475.
 Namun mereka ada je yang melanggar peraturan tu sehinggakan pada tahun 1502 permainan ini
dipersetujui OLEH kerajaan dan pada masa ni Raja James Iv menjadi raja golf pertama dunia.
 Permainan semakin popular dan berkembang di eropah pada abad ke 16 apabila disokong oleh
kerajaan.Raja Charles pon terus memperkenalkan permainan ini di sekitar perancais.
 Permainan golf ni secara rasmi diiktirag sebagai sukan apabila Gentlemen Golfers of Leith
membentuk kelab pertama pada tahun 1744 dan mengadakan pertandingan tahunan dengan
hadiah perak
 Pada waktu ini pemain golf menggunakan tongkat kayu buatan tangan yang biasanya terbuat
dari beech dengan batang abu atau hazel, dan bola dibuat dari bulu mampat yang dibungkus
dengan kulit kuda yang dijahit.
 Revolusi Perindustrian pada zaman Victoria membawa banyak perubahan
 Persatuan Golf Amerika Syarikat (USGA) ditubuhkan pada tahun 1894 untuk mengatur
permainan di sana, pada tahun 1900 lebih dari 1000 kelab golf telah dibentuk di seluruh AS.

Sejarah golf di Malaysia

 Pada masa yang dulu, permainan golf adalah salah satu sukan yang berprestige, hanya
golongan elite dan golongan diRaja boleh bermain permainan ini.
 Golf dibawa masuk oleh British semasa British menjajah Malaysia.
 Selepas Malaysia merdeka, permainan inibermula berkembang di seluruh Malaysia dan terbuka
kepada orang ramai.
 Apabila permainan ini dibuka kepada orang ramai, bilangan pemain golf di Malaysia meningkat
menyebabkan kehendakan padang golf tidak mencukupi dan lebih banyak padang golf dibina.
 PGM (PROFESSIONAL GOLF MALAYSIA) Tour yang ditubuhkan oleh Tun Ahmad Sarji, bertujuan
untuk menganjur pertandingan untuk pemain-pemain handal ini untuk memajukan sukan ini
dan menjadikan pemain Malaysia lebih terkenal di pentas antarabangsa.
 MGA (MALAYSIA GOLF ASSOCIATION) adalah satu organisasi yang ditubuhkan untuk menjaga
pemain amatur di Malaysia. MGA mengadakan pelbagai program dan pertandingan untuk
pemain amatur.