Golf orignated within the eastern coast of Scotland, close to the royal city of Edinburgh as a game. The early players of golf had a bent stick or club. They hit a pebble and rolled it along dunes and rocky tracks. Spreading quickly like the hype about the new casino games, golf gained popularity. People were drawn to it because of its entertaining challenges.
Scotland was preparing to repel the ‘Auld Enemy in the 15 th century. But then there were a lot of Scots who became so much involved in golf that they no longer trained in military matters. Due to this fact, the parliament of King James II outlawed the sport in 1457.
The ban was largelydisregarded by people and in 1502 the game received royal approval. This was the case when the King James IV of Scotland (1473-1513) was the first golfing king in the world.
As a result of this royal patronage, the popularity of the game quickly conquered 16 th -century Europe. King Charles I brought the game to England and Mary Queen of Scots brought it to France when she studied there. The caddie is called so because the army attendants were called cadets in French. The new generation casino games are thrilling gamers in the modern world, just the way golf was when it was newly introduced in Europe. This was a new sport that excited players and attracted a large number of spectators.
The early formation of Golf Clubs and Regulations
One of the best golf courses was Leith which is close to Edinburgh. In 1682 it played host to the first international golf match. The Duke of York and George Patterson, representatives of Scotland, defeated two English noblemen in an historic match. In 1744 the game turned into a sport. In the same year, Gentlemen Golfers of Leith began the first golf club. They also established a yearly competition with silver awards. The rules of this new competition were written by Duncan Forbes. Plenty of them remain familiar to many. These historic rules paved way to the current regulations in golf. They assisted in making the game be fair and consistent. The tournament attracted talented players and spectators. It turned golf into a game of strategy and accuracy. These resulting guidelines were modified with time producing the game we are familiar with today.
When your ball lies in water or in muddy water you can play out of it. Lift it before the hazard and drop it back on the green. You may play with any club, and give your opponent a stroke to lift your ball. The game of golf was first referred to in 1552, at its historical base of St Andrews. The Society of Golfers had been founded at St Andrews in 1754. In their annual contest they began to compete by the rules of Leith.
Growth of Golf: St Andrews to the World.
In 1764, the first 18 holes golf course was designed at St Andrews. This design gave the game that we play today. The club 1834 had the honour of King William IV making it a Royal & Ancient club. There is no other club like the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. The club is the best golf club across the globe due to its massive golf course.
Golf players had wooden clubs, which were commonly made of beech. Their shafts were commonly of ash or hazel. The balls comprised of compressed feathers covered with stitched horsehide.
The British Empire expanded in the 19 th century. With its expansion, golf also expanded and new homes were discovered out of Scotland. I fell in love with the game naturally. In numerous countries fans created clubs. The first golf club outside Scotland was Royal Blackheath Golf Club which was founded in 1766. It is near London. The sport got even greater dissemination with its further development. The first golf club outside Britain was formed in Bangalore in India in 1820. Golf was no longer Scottish; it was turning international.
Next came:
- Royal Curragh, Ireland (1856)
- Adelaide (1870)
- Royal Montreal (1873)
- Cape Town, (1885)
- St Andrews of New York (1888)
- Royal Hong Kong (1889)
Victorian era started to change seriously with the Industrial Revolution. It transformed industries and the way of life of people. The railways enabled the ordinary people to move beyond their cities and towns. The consequence was the sprouting of golf clubs in the countryside. The mass production made the balls and clubs affordable. The game can be played by more people. The game became popular by power of x! Golf has ceased to be a privilege sport. Anybody can play it. This transformation led to worldwide popularity of the game. It resulted in the establishments of golf clubs throughout the globe.
In 1860, the British open was initiated at the Prestwick Golf Club. The first tournament was won by Willie Park. Through this, other historic game names came to existence like Tom Morris. Young Tom Morris was the son of the legendary golfer Tom Morris and he came to be the first real champion in the sport. This led to his great talent and hard work which made him win the British open four consecutive times beginning in 1869. This achievement clinched his place in golf history. His success was not connected with the winning. It demonstrated the worth of talent, tactics and persistence. It demonstrated that golf is a mental game as it is a physical game. British Open was a major event quickly. It attracted the most talented athletes and promoted the status of the sport in the world.
Final Thoughts
In 1894, Golf gained popularity in the United States. This brought about the establishment of United States Golf Association (USGA). The USGA was established with the aim of creating rules, as well as providing uniformity in the game. As the game grew, it spread to the rest of the country very quickly. By the early 1900s, there were more than 1,000 golf clubs already in the U.S., a testament to how much the Americans had taken to the game. This was an indication of the rapid development of the sport. Due to the powerful sponsorship, the USA turned out to be the central center of professional sports.
The history of the game is being reflected in the golf courses themselves today. US courses are breathtakingly beautiful parks that are well maintained. The British courses are largely rugged. London Double Decker buses could fit in their bunkers! Scotland is the home of the game and has some of the most famous golf courses in the world. Their names depict the tradition and enthusiasm of golf. The Old Course at St. Andrews, Gleneagles, Carnoustie, Royal Troon, Prestwick, just to mention but a few.