Golf History

In the seventeenth century there are numerous written records of avid golfers paying the price for playing golf on the Sabbath, especially when the clergy were giving their sermons. Usually the priests made the guilty parties sit in the public square confessing their sins for all to hear.

j j j j j j j j

Golf was still a very dangerous sport in 1491 under the reign of King James IV. If you were caught playing the game there was a stiff fine to pay, as well as being sent off to the dungeons for an unspecified amount of time. If you didn’t play the game but allowed others to use your land for the sport you were in serious trouble too. Not only were you fined and imprisoned but you also lost your land.

Royal Title Bestowed

When St. Andrews received the title of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in 1834 it became the symbol of golf wherever it was played. After this, all the new courses were designed with 18 holes to emulate St. Andrews. For many years if the course wasn’t a "links" style course it was considered inferior and a black mark on the game of golf.

j j j j j j j j

The first British Open in 1860, initially known as "A General Golf Tournament for Scotland," was won by Willie Park in a 36 hole competition. Played at Prestwick, Park shot two-44s and two-43s, for a total of 174. Second place went to his rival Old Tom Morris who shot a 176.

The Links

The term "fairway" is an old nautical term for a long waterway between rocks. The sailors walking from the ships to the nearby pubs adapted this term to the land where they played golf between the sand dunes. Until 1766 all the known golf courses (links) were found along the coastline of Scotland. Golf courses built inland in the eighteen century were called "greens," to distinguish them from a "links" style course located by the ocean. This gave rise to many of the common golf terms still in use today: greenskeeper, greens chairman, greens committee and greens fee.

Golf Ball Facts

The impact the golf ball has had on the game of golf can best be related by imaging that you are playing the first hole at St. Andrews with a feathery, a gutta percha and one of today’s golf balls. Only 370 yards long, this hole would be a par-5 with a feathery, requiring 3 shots to reach the green. Using a gutta percha you would be required to hit the second shot with a long iron to the green for a difficult par-4. Today most amateur golfers would need to hit a seven or eight iron to the green.

j j j j j j j j

Needing golf balls to play his favorite sport, Francis Browne paid the ultimate price for stealing two balls from the local pro shop. In 1637 he was hung in Scotland. This may be the first case of someone "dying" to play golf.

Golf Invades the North America

The game of golf spread rapidly in the United States. There were eighty golf courses by 1896, four years later at the beginning of the Twentieth Century 982 courses existed...all forty-five states had at least one golf course. America entered the new Century with more golf courses than any country in the world. Some of the better known ones were: St. Andrews Golf Club, Shinnecock Hills Golf Course, Chicago Golf Course, Newport Golf Club and The Country Club.

Terms of the Game

"Fore!" is a common warning on the golf course. This term most likely originated from the British military artillery officers. To warn the foot soldiers when the cannons were about to be fired over their heads the officers yelled "fore." Most of these officers were golfers so the term naturally carried over onto the golf course when they needed to warn fellow golfers of an errant golf shot.

j j j j j j j j

In the 1890s the British golfers used the term "bogey" for the score a good golfer would be expected to make on each hole. The term "par" originated in America, where as the equipment improved the players’ ability to shoot lower scores increased.

The Masters

The first Masters was played in 1934 and the great Bobby Jones came out of retirement to play with a few of his friends. The winner was Horton Smith and Jones finished in 13^th place. At the press conference after the tournament Jones told all his friends, "I hope everyone enjoyed himself and will come back next year." Everyone, who plays in the Masters today, wishes they would receive this invitation...regardless of their score.

Women Tee It Up

Back in the 1920s and 1930s the public generally felt it was very unladylike for women to win more than three tournaments in a single year. The tour players’ in the LPGA would be shocked at this attitude in today’s competitive golf atmosphere.

j j j j j j j j

Mildrid Zaharias was most famous for her ability to drive the golf ball as far as the men. She was literally worshipped by golfers for her ability to "Knock the Cover" off the golf ball, often hitting her drives 250 yards. A British fan asked her how she could hit it so far. Her answer provides an insight to the Babe’s personality. "I just loosen my girdle and let the ball have it," was her smiling response.

j j j j j j j j

Pam Barton, twice the British Ladies Champion, beat all competitors in 1936 to become the U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion. The only foreigner to win the title, she never got a chance to defend her title. She was killed in a World War II bombing raid on London.

Men: Legends of Golf