Chapter 1: History & Origins

Its name means roughly 'hitting ball'.

Source: BBC News, 'China claims origin of golf' (2006), reporting Professor Ling Hongling (1991) · recall

Scottish historians do not accept the claim.

Source: BBC News, 'China claims origin of golf' (2006), reporting Professor Ling Hongling (1991) · recall

In England it was called pall-mall.

Source: City of Westminster, history of Pall Mall; British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

Teams took turns, three strokes forward and one back.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

It is often named among golf's distant ancestors.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

His canal scenes show players with clubs and balls among the skaters.

Source: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Hendrick Avercamp collection notes · recall

Most continental games aimed at posts, doors or targets above ground.

Source: The R&A, 'History of golf' (randa.org) · recall

The Mall nearby comes from the same game.

Source: City of Westminster, history of Pall Mall · recall

Indoor kolf courts spread in the 1700s.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

Players aimed to hit the posts in as few strokes as possible.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

He is often called the father of American golf.

Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association · recall

The club is the oldest continuing golf club in the USA.

Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association · recall

A fellow Scot from Dunfermline, as Reid was.

Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association · recall

Its clubhouse of 1892 is among the oldest in the country.

Source: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, club history; USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association · recall

He later won the first US Amateur in 1895.

Source: Chicago Golf Club, club history; USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association · recall

A 21-year-old English professional.

Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association, US Open history · recall

Eleven players went round the nine-hole course four times in one day.

Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association, US Open history · recall

1888, 1891 and 1895.

Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association · recall

1873, 1888 and 1892.

Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association; Royal Montreal Golf Club, history · recall

They hung their coats on the trees.

Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association · recall

A year younger than the oldest.

Source: Royal Quebec Golf Club, history · recall

Royal Montreal received its royal title in 1884.

Source: Royal Montreal Golf Club, history · recall

Founded in Dunedin in 1871 by Scottish settlers.

Source: Otago Golf Club, Dunedin, club history · recall

In Cape Town, South Africa.

Source: Royal Cape Golf Club, history · recall

The club was founded in 1889.

Source: Hong Kong Golf Club, history · recall

Only Royal Calcutta is older.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; R&A, golf around the world · recall

Now the Royal Selangor Golf Club.

Source: Royal Selangor Golf Club, history · recall

1842, 1871, 1873 and 1885.

Source: Club histories: Royal Montreal, Royal Quebec, Otago, Royal Cape, Hong Kong, Royal Selangor · recall

Canada, South Africa, India and Malaysia.

Source: Club histories: Royal Montreal, Royal Quebec, Otago, Royal Cape, Hong Kong, Royal Selangor · recall

Royal Montreal was founded in 1873.

Source: Royal Montreal Golf Club, history · recall

It opened as Kobe Golf Club.

Source: Kobe Golf Club, club history; Japan Golf Association · recall

He first made a few holes for friends.

Source: Kobe Golf Club, club history; Japan Golf Association · recall

Japan's golf boom came decades later.

Source: Kobe Golf Club, club history; Japan Golf Association · recall

Built beside the railway at the seaside resort in 1924.

Source: Royal Hua Hin Golf Course, history; Tourism Authority of Thailand · recall

North of Taipei, by the river mouth.

Source: Taiwan Golf and Country Club (Tamsui), history · recall

In Guangdong province.

Source: Chung Shan Hot Spring Golf Club; Arnold Palmer Design Company · recall

With his design company.

Source: Arnold Palmer Design Company, course list · recall

1903, 1919, 1924 and 1984.

Source: Kobe Golf Club, club history; Japan Golf Association; club histories · recall

Calcutta 1829, Singapore 1891, Kobe 1903.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; Singapore Island Country Club, history · recall

Mount Rokko rises behind the port.

Source: Kobe Golf Club, club history; Japan Golf Association · recall

He made clubs for the Society of St Andrews Golfers.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

Forgan's firm became one of the best known in golf.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

The prince was captain of the R&A in 1863.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

Five generations of clubmakers.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

A Gourlay ball was a mark of quality.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

Beech and box were common.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

Bobby Jones played with Stewart irons.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

Philp before 1856, Forgan after him, Stewart from the 1890s.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

The splice joint was glued and bound.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

Each maker had his own.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

In Surrey, during the Blitz.

Source: Richmond Golf Club, wartime 'Temporary Rules'; British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

The penalty was one stroke.

Source: Richmond Golf Club, wartime 'Temporary Rules'; British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

Delayed-action bombs were marked with red flags.

Source: Richmond Golf Club, wartime 'Temporary Rules'; British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

The Masters was not played from 1943 to 1945.

Source: Augusta National Golf Club / Masters.com, history · recall

Runways crossed the land of the later Ailsa course.

Source: Turnberry, resort history; Royal Air Force Museum · recall

The USGA does not count it as a US Open.

Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association · recall

From 1940 to 1945; it returned at St Andrews in 1946.

Source: The R&A, Open history · recall

1937, about 1940, 1942 and 1946.

Source: Richmond Golf Club, wartime 'Temporary Rules'; British Golf Museum, St Andrews; USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association · recall

Repairs were needed before the 1946 event.

Source: Augusta National Golf Club / Masters.com, history · recall

Stopping play for gunfire cost nothing.

Source: Richmond Golf Club, wartime 'Temporary Rules'; British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

He is said to have left the game at once.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

An Edinburgh bow-maker.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

Imported balls were costing Scotland money.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

He became King James VII and II in 1685.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; Royal Mile history, Golfer's Land · recall

Tradition says the winnings built his house.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

It became known as Golfer's Land.

Source: Royal Mile history, Golfer's Land, Canongate · recall

His brother Albert was captain in 1930.

Source: The R&A, past captains · recall

1603, 1641, about 1681 and 1922.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; The R&A, past captains · recall

1863, 1922 and 1930.

Source: The R&A, past captains · recall

It is a mark of royal patronage.

Source: The Royal Household, royal patronage; club histories · recall

He took up the game before his presidency.

Source: White House Historical Association, 'Presidents and golf' · recall

So they could be seen against the white.

Source: White House Historical Association, 'Presidents and golf' · recall

His doctor urged him to play for his health.

Source: White House Historical Association, 'Presidents and golf' · recall

It stood on the 17th hole.

Source: Augusta National Golf Club / Masters.com, history · recall

At the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic pro-am.

Source: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library · recall

First played at St Andrews in 1958.

Source: International Golf Federation, Eisenhower Trophy history · recall

Walker was USGA president in 1920.

Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association, Walker Cup history · recall

1909, 1913, 1953 and 1974.

Source: White House Historical Association, 'Presidents and golf' · recall

Clifford Roberts ruled the proposal out of order in 1956.

Source: Augusta National Golf Club / Masters.com, history · recall

The USGA installed it.

Source: White House Historical Association, 'Presidents and golf' · recall

A mock-heroic poem about a match on Leith Links.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; National Library of Scotland · recall

He was an Edinburgh lawyer's clerk who later became a minister.

Source: National Library of Scotland · recall

Written by 'A Keen Hand'.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

He was later the first Englishman to captain the R&A.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; The R&A, past captains · recall

Bernard was also a fine amateur golfer.

Source: The Times archive, Bernard Darwin · recall

He covered golf for nearly fifty years.

Source: The Times archive, Bernard Darwin · recall

Many are told by 'the Oldest Member' of a club.

Source: The P G Wodehouse Society (UK) · recall

1743, 1857, 1890 and 1992.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

1859, 1876 and 1916.

Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; USGA Museum · recall

It was 'The Goff', a poem.

Source: National Library of Scotland · recall

Dozens of St Andrews figures crowd round the green.

Source: National Galleries of Scotland, 'The Golfers' by Charles Lees · recall

It hangs in Edinburgh.

Source: National Galleries of Scotland, 'The Golfers' by Charles Lees · recall

Its calendar pages show a golf-like game; made around 1540 by the workshop of Simon Bening.

Source: British Library, Add MS 24098 ('The Golf Book') · recall

It shows a club captain in a red coat.

Source: Royal Blackheath Golf Club, history; British Golf Museum, St Andrews · recall

His caddie carries his clubs under one arm.

Source: Royal Blackheath Golf Club, history · recall

The player kneels to strike in a doorway.

Source: Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt etching 'The Kolf Player' (1654) · recall

Painted when Old Tom was in his eighties.

Source: The R&A, art collection · recall

About 1540, 1654, about 1790 and 1847.

Source: British Library; Rijksmuseum; National Galleries of Scotland, 'The Golfers' by Charles Lees · recall

1606, about 1760, 1800 and 1856.

Source: Rijksmuseum; National Galleries of Scotland · recall

He painted the links there around 1920.

Source: National Galleries of Scotland, Sir John Lavery · recall