Home - About the UK - Tourism - Sports - Here
History of Golf in Scotland
Many consider golf (or gowf as it was originally spelled in Scotland) the most significant of all Scottish inventions (though some would argue for single malt whiskey!).
Many golfers travel to Scotland specifically to take a Scottish golf tour and relive the history of golf in Scotland, while playing such world-famous golf links as the inestimable St. Andrews and enjoying all the beauty of Scotland's hills and glens.
Amazingly, golf was being played in Scotland as early at the 14th century, and possibly even earlier. Both the French and the Dutch have tried to lay claim to its invention with their ball and stick games -- unfortunately their sports didn't include the one most necessary ingredient to a game of golf: the hole. Driving a tiny ball through innumerable obstacles to eventally drop it into a tiny hole is a uniquely Scots invention.
Originating on the east coast of Scotland, golf quickly became the Scots' national pastime and passion, bound forever to Scotland's history and people. Both King James II and King James III banned the game in the 1400s as it was taking too much time away from archery practice. King James IV tried to ban golf also, but was instead converted to the game, and Scottish monarchs were avid players ever after -- even Mary Queen of Scots was a golfer during her brief reign.
By the beginning of the 17th century, golf had spread throughout all of Scotland and was enjoyed by not only the nobility but the common folk as well. During this same century, the game was properly organized with accepted rules for all players. In 1744, the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith, later renamed the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, was instituted. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews was begun in 1754.
Golf exploded on the international scene in the late 1800s following the invention of the gutta percha ball. Golf is now played and enjoyed around the world -- no business trip or vacation is complete without a visit to a nearby course.
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland)
Our privacy and copyright statements.
Our commitment to freedom of information. Double-click for pop-up dictionary.
Open the original version of this page.
Usablenet Assistive is a UsableNet product. Usablenet Assistive Main Page.