The Dispute Over The History Of Golf

The history of golf is not absolutely clear and that is definitely often discussed. Probably the most generally held view is that golf as we know it today started out in Scotland in around the 12th century AD when shepherds developed a game involving hitting stones into rabbit holes. This game was played out on the site of present day Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland.

While it is true that there are many references to other similar games in various parts of the world. Egyptian scholars claim there is a mention of a sort of golf in hieroglyphic information since the time of the Pharaohs. A game employing sticks to knock a ball into holes was described in an 11th century Chinese book and there are claims that this game was brought to Europe by the Mongols in the 12th or 13th century. At the end of the 13th century you can find a note of this type of game being played out in Holland.

But, when we consider what a terrific game this is, we can find it would not be surprising if people in various parts of the globe thought up some sort of it independently of one another. Even though Chinese, Egyptian and Dutch scholars may stir up a debate and try to argue their own examples, there is no doubt that the game played by the shepherds of St. Andrews is the variant that became the Scottish game of golf or goulf as it was occasionally written.

St. Andrews saw the creation of the very first permanent golf course in addition to the first set of written regulations. It was also the first golf club to offer membership. Tournaments started at St. Andrews, as did the tradition of challenge matches amongst other cities in Scotland.

But, the St. Andrews course or links, that ran along a narrow strip of land next to the sea, was not always 18 holes. The land sloped up and down and had topographical features which had to be worked around. The golf players slowly created a standard path which in the beginning was 11 holes long.

This 11 hole golf course stretched from the clubhouse to the end of the strip of land. The players would play out from the clubhouse and then back, so playing a total of 22 holes altogether. It wasn't until 1764 that the golf club arrived at a decision that some of the holes were quite short. They were combined to make a total of 9 holes, leading to an 18 hole game.

Different courses were soon set up in other areas of Scotland, later spreading to The UK and the rest of the world. The popularity of the St. Andrews club established the 18 hole course as the standard length and so it has remained in the course of the history of golf until recent times.

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