| A golf-like game is recorded as taking place on 26 | | | | much more affordable to play. Golf clubs began |
| February 1297, in the Netherlands, Here the Dutch | | | | cropping up throughout the world and the sport was at |
| played a game with a stick and leather ball. | | | | an all time high in popularity. |
| Whoever hit the ball into a target several hundreds of | | | | In 1894 the USGA was established and in 1900 golf |
| meters away the most number of times usually won. | | | | was introduced as an Olympic event. Then 1914 the |
| However, golf is generally considered to be a Scottish | | | | PGA was formed. |
| invention, as the game was mentioned in two | | | | As a matter of fact, golf courses did not always have |
| 15th-century Acts of the Scottish Parliament, prohibiting | | | | eighteen holes. The St Andrews Links in Scotland |
| the playing of the game of 'gowf'. | | | | occupy a narrow strip of land along the sea. As early |
| The oldest playing golf course in the world is The Old | | | | as the 15th century, golfers at St Andrews established |
| Links at Musselburgh Racecourse. Evidence has | | | | a customary route through the undulating terrain, |
| shown that golf was played on Musselburgh Links in | | | | playing to holes whose locations were dictated by |
| 1672 although Mary, Queen of Scots reputedly played | | | | topography. |
| there in 1567. | | | | The course that emerged featured eleven holes, laid |
| The people of Scotland had a game where they | | | | out end to end from the clubhouse to the far end of |
| would hit stones through the sand and rabbit holes | | | | the property. One played the holes out, turned around, |
| using sticks. There are those who argue this as there | | | | and played the holes in, for a total of 22 holes. |
| was other games played involving sticks and balls but | | | | In 1764, several of the holes were deemed too short, |
| the essence of golf, putting the ball in the hole, began in | | | | and were therefore combined. The number was |
| Scotland. | | | | thereby reduced from 11 to nine, so that a complete |
| When the Royal Family of the day took up the sport it | | | | round of the links comprised 18 holes. |
| spread to other countries throughout the world. So by | | | | The major changes in equipment since the 19th |
| the 1800's golf was quite popular among both men and | | | | century have been better mowers, especially for the |
| women. | | | | greens, better golf ball designs, using rubber and |
| By this time the design of golf clubs was very similar | | | | man-made materials since about 1900, and the |
| to what they are now.There were also many | | | | introduction of the metal shaft beginning in the 1930s. |
| similarities to the game then and the way it's played | | | | Also in the 1930s the wooden golf tee was invented. In |
| now. The clubs and balls were handmade and very | | | | the 1970s the use of metal to replace wood heads |
| expensive and could only be purchased by the | | | | began, and shafts made of graphite composite |
| wealthy, making it an exclusive game for the rich. | | | | materials were introduced in the 1980s. |
| When metal clubs and mass production came along in | | | | Today we have a huge selection of ultra moderb golf |
| the late nineteenth century this opened up the game of | | | | equipment available from both US and Overseas |
| golf to ordinary folk. | | | | manufacturers. |
| Now, more people could enjoy the game as it was | | | | |