During the Middle Ages in the hills and valleys of east coast Scotland, golf was born. The name is derived from the Scots word “goulf” which means to strike. The game began on narrow strips of grassland that connected the sea to nearby farms, known as links. The land wasn’t suited for crops but perfect for a new game to be born. The first people to play golf were shepherds who used wooden crooks to knock stones across these links. The goal was to put their stone into a little rabbit burrow. Historians speculate that the idea for the game came from trade with the Netherlands who were playing very similar games such as Colf or Kolf. The ideas would be traded with the Dutch people at ports like Leith in Scotland.
Golf grew all throughout Scotland and became so popular that in 1457 it was banned by King James II. He issued and Act of Parliament that said, “fute-ball and golf be utterly cryit doune, and nocht usit” (Football and golf be utterly condemned and not used). During this time tension between Scotland and England was sky high and he believed that people were wasting time playing instead of training with their armies. They were ordered to instead spend their Sundays practicing archery. If someone was found playing either sport, they would be punished with a fine. It was lifted fifty years later by King James IV. In 1502, he signed the Treaty of Perpetual Peace. Without the threat of the English invading around every corner, people were able to relax and take part in games again. In September 1502, King James IV purchased a set of clubs from a bow-maker in Perth. When he purchased clubs from a bow-maker he combined the world of the sport with the military world. His love for the game eventually legalized it and made it an exclusive sport played only by the rich. The royal love for golf continued with his granddaughter Mary, Queen of Scots. Unlike her grandfather, who was paused for his love of the game, hers was used against her. She was criticized for playing golf at Seton Palace days after her husband, Lord Darnley, was murdered in 1567. The sport stayed as a casual exclusive activity for the rich for centuries.
In the 18th century, golf became an organized sport. It was formatted in the Old Course at St. Andrews which dates back to the 1500s. One of the first changes made to the sport was in 1764 when the course was reduced from 22 holes to 18. The first set of rules were the Thirteen Articles drafted by the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith which is now known as the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. St. Andrews was and still widely is considered the royal golf course after King William IV became the leader of the course and named it “The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews”. The image of a royal sport took a turn in the mid-1800s. Before then, golf equipment was handmade and expensive. The industrial revolution redesigned the equipment of the game. In 1848 they replaced the old balls which were lever pouches stuffed with feathers with a ball made from dried sap which was more durable and cheaper. The ball was changed again in 1898 to a rubber-cored ball that traveled farther. This led to courses being designed longer and more difficult. Along with changes to the ball, in the 1920s wooden shafts on the club were replaced with steel giving more power to a stroke and consistency.
One of the most recognizable landmarks in golf is the Swilcan Bridge on the Old Course at St. Andrews
As golf spread globally professional players started to emerge and in 1860 the first major was played. Held in Prestwick, Scotland this introduced the first Golf superstars like old Tom Morris and his son, young Tom Morris. Old Tom Morris was a greenskeeper at St. Andrews. He made clubs and went on to be a four time Open winner, changing the way courses were formatted and introducing separate teeing grounds and dressing greens with sand. His son, young Tom Morris, became the sport’s first true superstar, recording four consecutive Opens and the first ever hole-in-one. Young Tom Morris sadly passed away at age 24, months after his wife died in childbirth. When golf entered the scene in the United States in the late 1800s the USGA was formed. Bobby Jones, an iconic name in the game, was an amateur player who founded The Masters and Augusta National.
Famous players started to emerge in the 1970’s, players such as Arnold Plamer also known as “The King” who is known for making golf cool, Jack Nicklaus “The Golden Bear” and Gary Player “The Black knight”. These three were known as the Big Three and their ferocious rivalry dominated the screens of golf fans worldwide. One of the most transformative moments in modern golf came when Tiger Woods entered the professional game. He made the sport a global powerhouse. He introduced diversity and athleticism overnight. Prize money grew as players did and now The Ryder cup is a match played by Europe VS. USA is held biennially with Europe winning the last two matches. The Ryder Cup has become one of the most watched sporting events worldwide. Modern day inventions such as Launch monitors and equipment helping the ball go farther are making people wonder if we should go back to playing the game like we used to.
Sources:
“Blog | Golf History | Canyamel Golf.” Canyamelgolf.com, Oct. 2023, www.canyamelgolf.com/en/golf-history.
Deer Creek Florida. “A Detailed History of Golf | Deer Creek Golf Club.” Deercreekflorida.com, 2025, deercreekflorida.com/2025/the-history-of-golf.html. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
EVTitan. “The History of Golf: From Its Scottish Origins to Global Popularity.” EV Titan, 17 Jan. 2025, evtitan.com/the-history-of-golf-from-scotland-to-the-world/.
Johnson, Ben. “The History and Origins of Golf.” Historic UK, 2017, www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-History-of-Golf/.
Wikipedia Contributors. “Golf.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf.
