While you stand on the fairway, ready to hit a punch shot, think about if you couldn’t play golf anymore. How would you feel if it didn’t exist? Have you wondered about what golf was like in the early days? Do you have any idea when it started? Where did the game come from? The next time you step up to swing an iron on your favorite course, muse on how the game of golf got to where it is today. When was golf invented? Here is when your go-to sport for relaxation, socialization — maybe a bit of exercise — came to be.
When golf was invented
Hitting a ball with a stick isn’t a new concept. The idea of smacking a round object with another, longer, stick-like object in a competitive way has been around for almost 1,000 years. France had cambuca, Persia played chowkan, the Netherlands called it kolven, China enjoyed chuiwan, and ancient Rome picked up paganica.
While they may not all be a precursor to golf (some are akin to polo), the bones of the game are there in history if you care to take a look. It’s only within the last 500 years or so golf in its present form has existed.
The oldest recording of golf
The game as it is played today, with people hitting a ball with multiple types of sticks throughout a course with various obstacles, was initially recorded in Scotland. In the spring of 1457, a written decree from King James II banned golf. The Scotts liked golf a little too much and were spending all their free time playing it instead of participating in the mandatory archery training for the military.
The decree declaring the ban is the first known record of the game of golf as we know it, love it, and play it today. Don’t worry — King James IV kicked the ban to the curb in 1502 when he became a golfer. His grandfather would not have been happy.
The use of numerous clubs was noted around 1503 to 1504, stating, “For golf clubbes and balles to the King that he playit with.” There have been improvements in design, but golf clubs have been essential for the sport for over 500 years.
Golf beginnings
Two early types of golf
Back then, in golf’s infancy, there were two forms, and where you played determined which was which. There was a fun, inclusive, almost child-like version played in the streets of the local town, which sounds a little bit like putt-putt golf or working things out on the driving range. The other was played in an open lot and closely resembles the current game.
The oldest known golf course
All roads point back to Scotland when it comes to the green. The oldest known golf course (with records to prove it) is still a spot you can work on your handicap today. St. Andrews Old Course was given the formal green light by Archbishop John Hamilton in 1552.
The links course is the birthplace of the Society of St. Andrews, which would eventually become the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. The R&A is the ultimate golf governing body for every golf club and course not located in Mexico or the United States.
When the rules of golf were established
Ever had a squirrel or bird stop your ball and mess you up? Thank rule number 10 for having to play where the ball stops in that situation. The rules we play with today were established in 1744 by The Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. The 13 Articles were introduced at the Leith Links and are what we abide by now, with some notable exceptions to accommodate modern times.
Golf in the United States
When golf came to America
While not played on an official course or club, there are records of a couple of men sending golf balls through windows and causing chaos in the U.S. in 1657. There is also a shipping record from 1739 for an order of golf equipment from Scotland. The U.S. has been enjoying the game, however possible, for longer than we had courses or clubs.
The oldest 18-hole golf course
It would be a few hundred years before golf came to the U.S. from Scotland. In 1892, World Golf Hall of Famer turned course designer Charles B. Macdonald founded the Chicago Golf Club. The course started with only nine holes, but by 1893, it was a full 18-hole game. It holds the honors as the oldest 18-hole golf course in North America. Dozens of tournaments have been hosted there, including 12 USGA Championships.
The oldest golf club
If you are a fan of technicalities, the oldest golf course in the U.S. is The Savannah Golf Club in Georgia. The club has proof it started around 1794, with documented evidence talking of a second anniversary in 1796.
Talk to the people at your local course and ask about its history. Maybe it’s not older than a few years or decades, but learning about when golf was created connects lovers of the game on a deeper level. You can be passionate about a sport and not know the history, but you’ll appreciate each lay-up a little more when you know when golf was invented.
