The Scots are those lucky people who first enjoyed the game of golf as way back as the fourteenth century. The English were introduced to the game by King Charles and the French by Mary Queen of Scots.

Some Of The Earliest Golf Clubs

Some of the first few golf clubs that were established are the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers which was formed in 1744, the St. Andrews Society of Golfers [The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews] which was established in 1754 and the Royal Blackheath which was created in 1766.

Golf In The United States

It was about 1888 when the game of golf made its first appearance in the United State of America. The first golf club house of the United States, the St. Andrews Golf Club of Yonkers was established in New York the same year. The game soon had so many addicts that there were more than a thousand clubs in just a couple of year's time. In the year 1894 the United States Golf Association was established to regulate the game in the United States and Mexico. In fact it was so popular that the first golf magazine was started in 1897! Soon the United States became the center of the game as the number of sponsored competitions increased as did the price money. Golf gained international recognition in 1900 when it became an Olympic event. The PGA of America was formed in the early 1916.

The First Golf Equipment

The first golf equipment used was not easily affordable by the common man as they were handcrafted and unique. Some of the golf clubs had iron club heads but most of them were carved from the wood of fruit trees. The balls were made of curved wads of packed feather stuffed into hand stitched horsehide! These items are coveted and treasured by modern golf lovers.

Famous Golf Courses

The famous golf courses of that time were the Leith near Edinburgh as well as the St Andrews. The famous course in the United States is Augusta which was established in 1933.

Golf Tournaments

The British Open is said to have started around 1860's and even then there were a few dedicated professional players. The players also supplemented their income by making and selling balls as well as clubs.

Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones are credited with starting the first golf championship in the United States. They established the Masters Tournament in Augusta in the year 1934. In 1944, it was made a year-round tournament comprising of 22 events. Even today, it is considered as one of the most prestigious golf championships.

This was a brief overview about the history of golf, a game that has many avid fans. Even today the game continues to enthrall millions of people around the world.