The origins of the game of golf are as elusive as the game's mastery itself, but there are significant indicators to support Scotland's claim of the game originating there. The history of golf shows that over 500 years ago, the Scottish parliament banned the game of "gowf" as it was interfering with archery practice. More time was being spent knocking the feather-filled balls around than practicing for their military duties.

Since Roman times, games using a ball and sticks have been used, but the famous St. Andrews Musselburgh Links opened in 1672, making it the first known golf course. Contrary to some beliefs, there is nothing in the recorded history of golf indicating the name is derived from "Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden" however, there are some ambiguities indicating it took the name of golf as it was one of the few four-letter words not in use at the time.

The term golf is actually considered an adulteration of the Dutch word kolf, which means stick or club. The first female reportedly to play a role in the history of golf would be Mary, Queen of Scots who is alleged to have played Scotland in 1567.

Courses Grow With Game's Popularity

When players first began regularly playing golf at St. Andrews, it consisted of only 11 holes. The layout was determined by the seaside terrain and players, beginning at what is now the club house, would play the 11 holes from one end to the other, then turn around and play the same holes heading back in, making it a 22-hole game. The history of golf in the United States began with a three-hole course in New York.

The Apple Tree Gang set a three-hole course in 1888 in Yonkers, also called St. Andrews, later expanding it to six holes on a cow pasture. Their name was derived due to the number of apple trees on the course. Since that time, the history of golf notes numerous six, eight, nine and 12-hole courses being developed. The Chicago Golf Club near Wheaton, Illinois became the first 18-hole course in the US in 1893.

As the game of golf grew in popularity and the game's equipment evolved into today's assortment the number of golf courses has also expanded. It is estimated that there are over 32,000 golf courses in the world with over half of them in the United States. As the history of golf continues to grow the one constant that has remained is the object of hitting a ball with a stick into a hole in a pasture.