The history of golf is not entirely clear and it is certainly often debated. If you ask most people, they would tell you that golf started in the 1100s or thereabouts in Scotland, where shepherds, bored out of their wits, would shoot rocks into rabbit holes for amusement. This game was played on the site of the modern Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland.
It is true that there are many references to other similar games in different parts of the world. Some of the world's leading Egyptologists claim that the ancient Egyptians mentioned golf, or something to that effect, in their hieroglyphics. And in another part of the globe, earlier Chinese civilizations, circa 1000s, were supposedly knocking a ball into a hole, as the Mongols would teach Europe this game in about 200 years or so. At the end of the 13th century there is a note of this type of game being played in Holland.
But is it worth all the controversy and all the mixed opinions that have no parallelism with one another, when golf is such a wonderful game to play? The Chinese, Dutch and Egyptian culture experts may all have their own versions loyal to the country of their expertise, but if you look at how golf is played today, it most certainly has its roots from the game those bored shepherds at St. Andrews played so many centuries ago.
St. Andrews saw the establishment of the first permanent golf course along with the first set of written rules. It also happens to be the first golf club offering membership to paying customers. Yet another first at St. Andrews would be the practice of holding golf tournaments, which started as challenges between different Scottish cities.
However, the St. Andrews course or links, which ran along a narrow strip of land beside the sea, was not always 18 holes. The land sloped up and down and included topographical features which had to be worked around. Soon it was agreed by the early players of the game that the course would have 11 holes.
Starting from the clubhouse and ending at the strip of land, the St. Andrews golf course would soon become functional. Players would play out from the clubhouse and then back, so playing a total of 22 holes. It was not until 1764 that the club decided that some of the holes were too short. Two holes were removed, reducing the total to 9 holes, or 18 holes both ways.
Other courses were soon established in other parts of Scotland, later spreading to England and the rest of the world. The status of the St. Andrews club established the 18 hole course as the normal length and so it has remained throughout the history of golf until modern times.
It is true that there are many references to other similar games in different parts of the world. Some of the world's leading Egyptologists claim that the ancient Egyptians mentioned golf, or something to that effect, in their hieroglyphics. And in another part of the globe, earlier Chinese civilizations, circa 1000s, were supposedly knocking a ball into a hole, as the Mongols would teach Europe this game in about 200 years or so. At the end of the 13th century there is a note of this type of game being played in Holland.
But is it worth all the controversy and all the mixed opinions that have no parallelism with one another, when golf is such a wonderful game to play? The Chinese, Dutch and Egyptian culture experts may all have their own versions loyal to the country of their expertise, but if you look at how golf is played today, it most certainly has its roots from the game those bored shepherds at St. Andrews played so many centuries ago.
St. Andrews saw the establishment of the first permanent golf course along with the first set of written rules. It also happens to be the first golf club offering membership to paying customers. Yet another first at St. Andrews would be the practice of holding golf tournaments, which started as challenges between different Scottish cities.
However, the St. Andrews course or links, which ran along a narrow strip of land beside the sea, was not always 18 holes. The land sloped up and down and included topographical features which had to be worked around. Soon it was agreed by the early players of the game that the course would have 11 holes.
Starting from the clubhouse and ending at the strip of land, the St. Andrews golf course would soon become functional. Players would play out from the clubhouse and then back, so playing a total of 22 holes. It was not until 1764 that the club decided that some of the holes were too short. Two holes were removed, reducing the total to 9 holes, or 18 holes both ways.
Other courses were soon established in other parts of Scotland, later spreading to England and the rest of the world. The status of the St. Andrews club established the 18 hole course as the normal length and so it has remained throughout the history of golf until modern times.
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