History of Golf Essay

Golf has changed a lot since it first started in 1297, where a leather ball was hit into a hole and the fewest strokes won. The golf clubs and balls have changed significantly and the number of options for clubs has increased as well. They have gone from wooden drivers to drivers made of complex blends of elements that make the ball fly higher and farther. Since the golf clubs and balls have all been improved, it’s a surprise that some of the rules haven’t been changed to make the game fairer.

There is general agreement that the Scots were the earliest of golf addicts but who actually invented the game is open to debate. We know that golf has existed for at least 500 years because James II of Scotland, in an Act of Parliament dated March 6, 1457, had golf and football banned because these sports were interfering too much with archery practice sorely needed by the loyal defenders of the Scottish realm! It has been suggested that bored shepherds tending flocks of sheep near St. Andrews became adept at hitting rounded stones into rabbits holes with their wooden crooks. And so a legend that persists to this day was born!

This sporting and social event is one of golf’s greatest traditions, and it has a storied past as well as other things about it that are just plain interesting to know.

The earliest surviving written rules book was made by the gentlemen Golfers of Leith on March 7, 1744 for a tournament played on April 2 and only had 13 rules.

When people here the word ‘golf’ they often correlate it with a misleading sense of boring, elderly men and women who have nothing better to do. Believe it or not, there is a broader reason why so many retirees indulge in the golf lifestyle. Yes, golf is a lifestyle, not just a sport. Many people, most of whom know absolutely nothing about the sport, do not realize that playing golf regularly can add five years to their life span and also have many other well-being-related benefits (“Health” par. 5). Golf is a great therapeutic activity because it teaches good etiquette, it enriches the mind, and it provides for a healthy lifestyle.

Soon artisans figured out that if they made the clubs out of tougher wood, it made it much easier to play and to maintain equipment. Beech wood, holly wood, and apple wood became the fan favorites for making clubs (World).

The Culture trait of Scotland is golf. “The term "kolf" came from the Dutch.” (Cultural Diffusion – Andrew Scottish Culture. n.d.) It was brought over to Scotland from the major trading that those two countries did. Kolf was a sport with characteristics of golf and ice hockey played in the Netherlands. It was played with a stick and a ball on frozen canals in the winter times. In this game, players took turns using iron-headed clubs to strike a small ball toward a target, which was typically a stake or a hole. During the winter, kolf was typically played on ice, though it took place on city streets and courts for the rest of the year. Kolf was a short game and took as long as a game of putt putt. “When the game was brought over to the east

Golf enthusiasts come from all different walks of life. The origins of organized golf date back to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in the United Kingdom (Redmond 410). Golf spread from the U.K. to the U.S. and created one of the greatest rivalries in the history of sports. This rivalry drew international attention, and pretty soon, the rest of the world was joining in to play one of the most captivating sports in the world. A large aspect of golf that draws people to it is that golf is not a team game. It is just the golfer against the world, and that is a big appeal to people. Also, golfers have the choice of putting their personal touch on almost every phase. From the clothes they wear, to the clubs and bags that they use, and even the golf balls they hit, people love adding their own personal touch whenever possible. Naturally, that is going to entice an interesting crowd of characters to the same game.

What makes golf the phenomenal sport it is today? Is it the game itself? Some say golf started in fifteenth century Scotland by men hitting a pebble with a wooden stick. Currently, graphite drivers routinely send the ball soaring 300 yards. Perhaps it was the golfers who made the game great. Arnold Palmer brought golf to the masses in the 1950’s and Jack Nicklaus has set records that have yet to be broken. However, today sports commentators, pro golfers, and weekend duffers, generally agree the game of golf has been changed forever with the arrival of Tiger Woods.

Golf has the capability to teach you so much about life. You learn honesty, patience, responsibility, and character.. My grandfather regularly mentions that golf is a game that you can enjoy all your life. His influence has led me to be the captain of my high school golf team. Golf has provided me with deep-rooted friendships over the years and it allowed me to improve my relationship with my grandfather..

Golf originated in Scotland in the year of 1457, then game was then outlawed by King James II of Scotland, because it took away time to be training for the military. Soon after, King James III reaffirmed the ban of golf in 1470. Golf 's first Open Championship was played on October 17th,1860 at The Prestwick Golf club in Scotland (Montgomerie). This event has always been played annually on various courses in Scotland, England, and on ocean courses of Ireland since 1860. The courses were designed to be flat open and fast with lots undulation, you had to be very creative and smart to shoot good numbers.

It's all about respect Playing golf is surely a great way to spend some valuable time with your friends or work collegues because it is very relaxing and quiet. As a child, you probably remember hearing "Quiet on the green!" whenever you accompanied your father on the field.

The golf course provides a safe place for me, not only physically but mentally. It’s a place where I can put my headphones in and block out all the scary thoughts that intrude my brain. The troubles with girls or friends seem to slip into nothing as I walk down the clean cut fairways of my second home. The perpetual intrusive thoughts of homework and college give way to more intriguing topics like how to hit a high seven iron or a low eight.

This is when golf peaked and went through a decline until the 1950s. It is at this point that interest grew in the sport until the late 1980s. Since that time, there has been a shift in player psychology. What is happening is most people are moving away from private clubs and instead are utilizing public facilities. This is because these locations are charging their members less and they are offering greater flexibility. (Beditz, 2008)

From its earliest beginnings in the 1450’s, golf was a peculiar game that tested the individual skill of each person who played. It is a game that takes a player on a journey through a number of “greens.” The player must try to get the small, hard golf ball into the “green” or “putting green” which contains a hole in the ground. The player can only hit the ball with a golf club. Golf equipment, such as golf clubs, golf balls, and the like are the subject of this report.