History of Golf

                Golf as we know it today started off as a game played during the 15th century in the Kingdom of Fife on the eastern coast of Scotland. Players back then would hit a pebble around a natural course of rabbit runs, sand dunes or tracks using a stick or any sort of primitive club.

                Historians believe that Kolven (a game originated in the Netherland, using heavy curved bats and a ball between two poles on an indoor court) and Chole (or Crossage En Plaine a cross between hockey and golf from Belgium) from Belgium influenced the game. The latter was introduced into Scotland in 1421. These games and countless others are stick and ball games, but they are missing that vital ingredient that is unique to golf – THE HOLE. Whatever the argument, there can be no dispute that Scotland gave birth to the game we know as golf today.

                The Sport was actually banned in 1457 by the Scottish parliament of King James II while Scotland was preparing to defend itself against an English invasion. Tha ban was instilled because of the population’s neglect of military training while enthusiastically pursuing golf and soccer. The parliament reaffirmed the ban in 1470 and 1491 although largely ignored by the people. The ban was lifted in 1502 with the Treaty of Glasgow and King James IV (James 1 of England) himself took up the sport.

                Throughout the 16th century, Golf's prominence and fame rapidly spread owing to it's royal endorsement. King Charles I popularised golf in England while Mary Queen of Scots, who was French, brought the game to France while she studied there. Interestingly, her helpers who were the French Military or known in French as cadets gave birth to the term ‘caddie’.

                Leith near Edinburgh was the premier golf course of that time. Leith was the scene of the first international golf match in 1682 when two English noblemen were beaten by the Duke of York and George Patterson playing for Scotland.