History of Golf

Golf is a popular leisure pursuit and sport, providing plenty of opportunity for players to get out in the open air and exercise, as well as compete with others. Read on to discover some fascinating facts about golf!Golf clubs have a long history. One of the earliest known references to the sport dates back to 1457, when King James II of Scotland banned the practice of golf and football. He said this was because, “it was keeping his subjects from their archery practice.”Back in 1603, James VI of Scotland appointed a specialist craftsman to make him his own golf clubs.In the early years of golf, the clubs were much flatter and longer than they are these days. They used to be made of ash or hazel and have a head made of apple, pear, beech or blackthorn wood.The first golf balls used in the 16th century are believed to have been made out of wood.Up until the mid 19th century, golf balls were typically made of feathers. The feathers had to be boiled to make them soft and they were then stuffed into a leather pouch, which was subsequently sewn up into a ball shape. Feather ball making was a slow process, with workers only managing to produce about three to four balls a day.Feather balls weren’t very successful, though. Their shape wasn’t great and they were unreliable. If it rained, they’d soak up the water, causing even more problems. They were eventually abandoned in favour of a ball made of a Malaysian gum, called gutta percha.The longest golf course in the world is the International Golf Club in Massachusetts.The Tactu Golf Club in Morococha, Peru, is believed to be the highest in the world. At its lowest point, it’s 14,335 feet above sea level.Golfers nervous of huge bunkers would do well to avoid the Pine Valley Course in New Jersey. It’s home to the Hell’s Half Acre bunker, which is believed to be the largest in the world.Golf clubs made of persimmon wood are often favoured by professional players.The bunkers found on golf courses throughout the world vary considerably, both in their style and the types of sand they’re made up of.In the UK and Ireland, you can typically find bunkers made up of semi-coarse washed river rock and in Hawaii you’re likely to find fine sand mixed with clay.These days, full length golf courses have 18 holes. However, until the mid 19th century, there was no set length and the size of golf courses varied.During the 1932 Walker Cup, golfer Leonard Crawley accidentally hit his ball in the wrong direction and it ended up hitting and denting the Walker Cup trophy.The word par is used by golfers to refer to the, “standard score in strokes for each hole of a given course.”The terms birdie, eagle and albatross are used in the game of golf. When you play, there’s a set score – or par – that you have to meet. If you get the ball in the hole with one hit less than that score, you’ve hit a birdie. An eagle is two under par and an albatross means three strokes under par.
By Rachel Newcombe