Golf is an extremely old game of which the precise origins are still debated. Many believe it first originated from Scotland, others think it was from the Netherlands, whilst some say “no”, it was from China. A game similar to golf was discussed in ancient Chinese records of the 11th Century and in Dutch texts of the 12th century. The Dutch talk of a game where players would use a stick to hit a leather ball. The objective was to hit the ball over distance (normally a few hundred meters), onto a target area.
However, golf as we know it today, is thought to have come from Scotland. A game known and referenced as “gouf” was discussed in a couple of laws from the 1500s. The laws actually outlawed the playing of the game. Numerous scholars believe that these laws aren’t referring to the game of golf. They believe that it talks of a different game, more similar to hockey. There was another game played in the Netherlands, during the 1700s, in which a player swung various clubs with the objective of hitting a little ball in to a hole. The word “golf” derived from “kolf”, which means bat, club or stick.
Golf courses haven’t always had 18 holes. During the 1500s golfers would play 22 holes of golf off a narrow piece of land, situated along the coast of Scotland. The course actually had 11 holes but after completing them they would turn back around and play them again, in reverse order. In the mid 1700s two of the holes were considered to be too short, so they decided to merge them, creating 9 holes in total, giving a total round (up and down) of 18 holes. This golf course is known as the St Andrews Links course. The St Andrews Links course is believed to be the oldest golf course on the planet and many consider it to be the home of golf.
The advances in golf technology and golf equipment over the last century have enabled golfers to hit balls over longer distances, with greater accuracy. The 1930s saw the introduction of metal shafted clubs and higher quality golf balls, made of a rubber and other synthetic composite materials. The 1930s also gave us the wooden golf tee. In the 1970s steel and titanium heads replaced traditional wooden heads. In the 1980s, stronger, lighter graphite and carbon composite shafts started to replace the heavier steel shafts.
However, golf as we know it today, is thought to have come from Scotland. A game known and referenced as “gouf” was discussed in a couple of laws from the 1500s. The laws actually outlawed the playing of the game. Numerous scholars believe that these laws aren’t referring to the game of golf. They believe that it talks of a different game, more similar to hockey. There was another game played in the Netherlands, during the 1700s, in which a player swung various clubs with the objective of hitting a little ball in to a hole. The word “golf” derived from “kolf”, which means bat, club or stick.
Golf courses haven’t always had 18 holes. During the 1500s golfers would play 22 holes of golf off a narrow piece of land, situated along the coast of Scotland. The course actually had 11 holes but after completing them they would turn back around and play them again, in reverse order. In the mid 1700s two of the holes were considered to be too short, so they decided to merge them, creating 9 holes in total, giving a total round (up and down) of 18 holes. This golf course is known as the St Andrews Links course. The St Andrews Links course is believed to be the oldest golf course on the planet and many consider it to be the home of golf.
The advances in golf technology and golf equipment over the last century have enabled golfers to hit balls over longer distances, with greater accuracy. The 1930s saw the introduction of metal shafted clubs and higher quality golf balls, made of a rubber and other synthetic composite materials. The 1930s also gave us the wooden golf tee. In the 1970s steel and titanium heads replaced traditional wooden heads. In the 1980s, stronger, lighter graphite and carbon composite shafts started to replace the heavier steel shafts.