The Rise Of The Sport Of Golf

What exactly determines whether or not an activity is a sport? The term sport is defined by The Free Dictionary as: A physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively, an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of

It is unknown when the game of golf originated, but it is believed that people began playing in Europe during the middle ages. In the United States, golf was a sport primarily played by the wealthy individuals until tournaments began being televised. Since then, golf has grown to be a very lucrative industry with over 27 million golfers nationwide by the end of the 1990’s. “Competition in the Golf Equipment Industry,” a case study written by John E. Gamble of the University of South Alabama, is an overview of the problems currently facing major companies in the golf equipment industry: technological limitations (due to golf’s governing organizations), a decline in the number of golfers,

c. Two of the most ancient regions golf-like sports have been mentioned in are the Greeks and the Egyptians dating back to 2,600 B.C. Wall paintings were discovered showing people using sticks to hit balls on the ground, resembling golf clubs.

Golf has changed a lot since it first started in 1297, where a leather ball was hit into a hole and the fewest hits won. The golf clubs and balls have changed significantly and the number of options has increased as well. They have gone from wood 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 more fair.

This new game that people were beginning to play in Scotland, seemed to take a hold of the people. At the time, the sport was open to all people- no fees to pay, no starting times- just a short game of golf that would always be followed by a trip to the local mead hall. Most golf played was on bets and times have not changed on that fact. Men would go and bet that they could beat the man next to them on the links, which at the time were only sandy, hilly pastures. It was because this game was at such a simple stage in its history; it required skill and finesse that almost all people could do. So, to meet the demand of the people, many courses were built along high bluffs on the eastern coastline in Scotland. It is here that nature developed dunes, ridges, gullies and hollows that would challenge the best of golfers.

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!

How often does an athlete come along that changes everything about a sport? Tiger Woods, as he is known by most, popularized the game of golf and was able to reach many youth and grow the game that may have been on the verge of dying. Woods was able to energize what many had known as a boring game and instill excitement and drive that was never seen on a golf course before. Woods hit the golf ball unbelievable distances and dominated the sport in a way that seemed unfair. Tournaments were being won by margins unlike any in history and many golf course designers were required to add something called “Tiger proofing” in an attempt to make the playing field more balanced and even. Eldrick “Tiger” Woods, at an astonishing 19 years old, burst on to the scene at Professional Golf Association events and would change golf forever though exciting and energy filled play, absurd tournament performances, and a presence among all sports unlike anything ever seen before. Tiger Woods began training to become the master golfer he was at a very young age and would experience high levels of success throughout his youth, once turning professional, marketing companies were able to take advantage of the unique opportunity Woods presented, and during his professional years Woods was statistically unlike anything ever seen before. In this paper I will discuss (1) how the different forms of communication propelled young Tiger Woods into the face of golf at an early age, (2) how marketing and

So that begs the question, what is a sport? Is it using a ball or scoring goals or running and kicking? Is it competing against others with the aim of winning a trophy, ribbon, or money? If a so-called sport does not include those things, does that make it not a sport? Here is my criteria for a sport: if it is in the Olympics, it is a sport.

One of the activities on the list that I thought was the furthest thing from a sport was Pigeon Racing. Even though I believed Pigeon racing to have incorporated many of the key components of a sport such as competition, a governing bodies, benefits, and strategy; it fails to meet the other requirements. One requirement that is not met is maintaining a certain level of physical and mental activity. In this particular sport the performer is completely dependent upon the pigeon to compete. By doing so this completely removes an athlete from the sport and eliminates any human chance in affecting the overall outcome. Instead of a sport I would categorize this as a recreational activity that is fun to watch and be involved in. I believe that an activity that relies solely on an animal performance cannot be considered to be a true sport.

The legendary beginnings of golf in the United States can be traced back to the mid-1600s. One of the first published

Yet, many people object the physical exertion aspect with golf, that it does not require any. These objectors who say golf should not be included in that defined group are ignorant to athletics and its regulations. My definition of a sport is a competition that involves athletes who play to win within a certain structure of rules and regulations. Anyone can be an athlete; they do not have to be good to play a sport, as long as they try with some effort. A sport requires certain qualities of an individual too that it can not be without.

For hundreds of years, golf has been an extremely popular and growing sport all around the world. Looking where golf is now, it is growing rapidly from the young to the elder population. The first round of gold was first played in the 15th century off the coast of Scotland, but it did not start to be played until around 1755. The standard rules of golf were written by a group of Edinburgh golfers. Today, people of the US, Scotland, and England, have been drawn to the game because it is fun, challenging, and hardly any athletic ability at all is required for amateurs. In breaking down the game, geometry plays a major

What makes something a sport? What characteristics define a sport? Why do we feel that some sports are not considered sports when we have never played them? When you google the definition of a sport this is what you will find “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” So as long as there is physical activity and competing then whatever you are playing is considered a sport.

Chapter 1: Golf - Basic Information Golf is a game played by many people worldwide. Similar to chess, golf requires precision and concentration. Amateurs and professional players enjoy this game, most of them join competitions whole year round. Lots of people say that golf is easy to learn, mostly because of its simple rules. A player just needs to hit a ball into a hole.

As anyone who has played a round of golf will attest to, the sport is based around many fundamental principals of physics. These basic laws are involved with every aspect of the game from how a player swings the club to how the ball moves through the air on its way toward the pin. It is the challenge that physics presents to the golfer that has allowed the game, and equipment used, to develop so drastically over the past one hundred years. The first golf balls used were called featheries. They were made with a horsehide cover packed with wet goose feathers. When the balls dried they became extremely hard. The major flaw with the featheries was that they could not be used when the conditions were wet because they