The Roots and History of Golf
Like many other sports, golf has a long and spotty history that spans at least five and a half centuries.
Like thousands of other players online, I love golf. It’s a relaxing pastime, as well as a competitive, gentlemanly sport.
The feeling of hitting a hole-in-one cannot be even adequately described in words.
Of course, golf is nowhere near as physical or engaging as, for example, basketball or boxing. It’s a different, more serene kind of sport.
I will try to sum up this history and also touch upon golf today, as well as the future of golf.
When, Where, and How Did Golf First Happen?
Most historians still debate over the origins of golf as a game. In ancient Rome, for example, people played a game called paganica.
Paganica players would use bent sticks to hit a stuffed ball made of leather.
Considering the size of the Roman empire at its peak, it’s not impossible to think that paganica spread throughout its territories and eventually became the golf we all know today.
Another possible ancestor of golf might be the Chinese chuwian. Chuwian was also a game where players used curved sticks to sink balls in holes.
England and France, on the other hand, had a similar game called either cambuca or chambot.
The Persians also had a sport like golf, called chaugán.
Possibly the closest European equivalent of golf before its modern iteration was kolven, which was played in the Netherlands.
Who is the Real Inventor/Discoverer of Golf?
The real inventor of golf is still unknown. Modern golf, as we know it today, has existed in Scotland since the early 15th century.
King James II banned it in 1457 because he thought it distracted men from doing archery.
Another king, James IV, lifted this ban and played golf himself. In fact, he had his own set of clubs in 1503-1504.
So it’s safe to say that modern golf has existed for at least five and a half centuries and counting.
Most golfers see the Old Course at St. Andrews as a place of pilgrimage, dating back to 1574, at least.
The game was modified to its current 18-hole shape in 1764, with the oldest rules for the game being recorded two decades earlier.
Finally, the oldest course, according to the Guinness World Records, is Musselburgh Links, East Lothian, which has existed since at least March 2nd, 1672.
The Origin of the Word “Golf”
The term “golf” as a noun comes from the mid-15th century Scotland, originally as “gouf”. It probably originates from Middle Dutch “colf/colve” which means “stick, club, bat.”
However, this might originate from an even older Proto-Germanic term “*kulth-” or Old Norse “kolfr”, meaning “clapper of a bell”, or German “kolben”, meaning “mace.”
As a verb, the term “to golf” has been used since the early 19th century.
History of Golf in the United States
A few sources mention “Kolf” as a game in 17th century Fort Orange (Albany, New York).
In fact, there was an ordinance to keep “Kolf” off the streets in 1659 because the players broke too many windows.
In early, mid and late 18th century, a few people ordered golf clubs and balls in Charleston, South Carolina.
A South Carolina Golf Club existed in 1787. However, the game itself would not come to prominence until late 19th century.
Many clubs in the US still claim to be the oldest in the country, but none of this can be confirmed.
Fortunately, there were enough of them to form the United States Golf Association in 1894, which would count 267 clubs by 1910.
Why Do People Like to Play Golf?
The answer to this question varies from person to person. However, as a golfer, I can list a few reasons that more or less match my colleagues’.
First off, it’s a game where you spend a lot of time outside, in nature. Other outdoor sports have fields, courts, etc. Not golf.
It’s one of those rare sports where you play amid trees, bushes, ponds, and so on.
The feeling of playing in this environment is fantastic.
Next, there’s the anticipation. I cannot begin to explain how nervous and excited I feel before hitting the ball. Every game is as exciting as the last, and I never know what comes next.
Finally, it’s great for socializing. Most of my friends are avid golfers, and it’s one of those rare sports where you can compete and fraternize at the same time.
Your friends will be your “rivals” on the field, yet you’ll never really argue or fight over losing.
Conclusion – Future of Golf
People tend to ask me “Is golf dying?” considering there aren’t that many golfers today. To this, I would merely shrug.
Nearly every sport other than associated football has fewer followers every year.
However, as long as there are people interested in the sport, it’s not going anywhere.
As of today, the women's @OlympicGolf qualification period has officially begun and will run through June 29, 2020. #Tokyo2020, here we come. 💪 More info: https://t.co/LIjp80MKFm pic.twitter.com/Jrw9A4uwVz
— USA GOLF (@USAGolf) July 8, 2018
After all, golf is most often played by high-level government officials, wealthy businesspeople, and individuals with a sense of culture.
So, I definitely wouldn’t say that it’s dying, and I doubt it will be dead anytime soon.
