# Chapter 1: History & Origins

Golf · Chapter 1: History & Origins · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/golf/interesting-facts/chapter-1-history-origins/)

Where golf came from and how it spread: continental cousins, the first clubs of America, the Empire and Asia, the old clubmakers, war, royals, presidents, books and paintings.

## 1.11 Golf's Continental Cousins

Ball-and-club games from China, France, Flanders, Rome and the Netherlands, and what made the Scottish game different.

### Test 1: Golf's continental cousins

- Its name means roughly 'hitting ball'. (Source: BBC News, 'China claims origin of golf' (2006), reporting Professor Ling Hongling (1991))
- Scottish historians do not accept the claim. (Source: BBC News, 'China claims origin of golf' (2006), reporting Professor Ling Hongling (1991))
- In England it was called pall-mall. (Source: City of Westminster, history of Pall Mall; British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- Teams took turns, three strokes forward and one back. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- It is often named among golf's distant ancestors. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- His canal scenes show players with clubs and balls among the skaters. (Source: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Hendrick Avercamp collection notes)
- Most continental games aimed at posts, doors or targets above ground. (Source: The R&A, 'History of golf' (randa.org))
- The Mall nearby comes from the same game. (Source: City of Westminster, history of Pall Mall)
- Indoor kolf courts spread in the 1700s. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- Players aimed to hit the posts in as few strokes as possible. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)

## 1.12 Golf Reaches America

How golf took root in the United States: the Apple Tree Gang, Shinnecock Hills, the first 18 holes and the first US Open.

### Test 1: Golf reaches America

- He is often called the father of American golf. (Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association)
- The club is the oldest continuing golf club in the USA. (Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association)
- A fellow Scot from Dunfermline, as Reid was. (Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association)
- 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)
- He later won the first US Amateur in 1895. (Source: Chicago Golf Club, club history; USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association)
- A 21-year-old English professional. (Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association, US Open history)
- 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)
- 1888, 1891 and 1895. (Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association)
- 1873, 1888 and 1892. (Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association; Royal Montreal Golf Club, history)
- They hung their coats on the trees. (Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association)

## 1.13 Royal Clubs of the Empire

The oldest clubs of Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, India and Malaysia.

### Test 1: The oldest clubs abroad

- A year younger than the oldest. (Source: Royal Quebec Golf Club, history)
- Royal Montreal received its royal title in 1884. (Source: Royal Montreal Golf Club, history)
- Founded in Dunedin in 1871 by Scottish settlers. (Source: Otago Golf Club, Dunedin, club history)
- In Cape Town, South Africa. (Source: Royal Cape Golf Club, history)
- The club was founded in 1889. (Source: Hong Kong Golf Club, history)
- Only Royal Calcutta is older. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; R&A, golf around the world)
- Now the Royal Selangor Golf Club. (Source: Royal Selangor Golf Club, history)
- 1842, 1871, 1873 and 1885. (Source: Club histories: Royal Montreal, Royal Quebec, Otago, Royal Cape, Hong Kong, Royal Selangor)
- Canada, South Africa, India and Malaysia. (Source: Club histories: Royal Montreal, Royal Quebec, Otago, Royal Cape, Hong Kong, Royal Selangor)
- Royal Montreal was founded in 1873. (Source: Royal Montreal Golf Club, history)

## 1.14 Golf Arrives in Asia

The first courses of Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and modern China.

### Test 1: Golf arrives in Asia

- It opened as Kobe Golf Club. (Source: Kobe Golf Club, club history; Japan Golf Association)
- He first made a few holes for friends. (Source: Kobe Golf Club, club history; Japan Golf Association)
- Japan's golf boom came decades later. (Source: Kobe Golf Club, club history; Japan Golf Association)
- Built beside the railway at the seaside resort in 1924. (Source: Royal Hua Hin Golf Course, history; Tourism Authority of Thailand)
- North of Taipei, by the river mouth. (Source: Taiwan Golf and Country Club (Tamsui), history)
- In Guangdong province. (Source: Chung Shan Hot Spring Golf Club; Arnold Palmer Design Company)
- With his design company. (Source: Arnold Palmer Design Company, course list)
- 1903, 1919, 1924 and 1984. (Source: Kobe Golf Club, club history; Japan Golf Association; club histories)
- Calcutta 1829, Singapore 1891, Kobe 1903. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; Singapore Island Country Club, history)
- Mount Rokko rises behind the port. (Source: Kobe Golf Club, club history; Japan Golf Association)

## 1.15 Clubmakers and Ballmakers

The craftsmen behind early clubs and balls: Philp, Forgan, the McEwans, the Gourlays and Tom Stewart.

### Test 1: Clubmakers and ballmakers

- He made clubs for the Society of St Andrews Golfers. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- Forgan's firm became one of the best known in golf. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- The prince was captain of the R&A in 1863. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- Five generations of clubmakers. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- A Gourlay ball was a mark of quality. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- Beech and box were common. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- Bobby Jones played with Stewart irons. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- Philp before 1856, Forgan after him, Stewart from the 1890s. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- The splice joint was glued and bound. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- Each maker had his own. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)

## 1.16 Golf in Wartime

Golf through the world wars: Richmond's rules, Augusta's livestock, airfield links and wartime champions.

### Test 1: Golf in wartime

- In Surrey, during the Blitz. (Source: Richmond Golf Club, wartime 'Temporary Rules'; British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- The penalty was one stroke. (Source: Richmond Golf Club, wartime 'Temporary Rules'; British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- Delayed-action bombs were marked with red flags. (Source: Richmond Golf Club, wartime 'Temporary Rules'; British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- The Masters was not played from 1943 to 1945. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club / Masters.com, history)
- Runways crossed the land of the later Ailsa course. (Source: Turnberry, resort history; Royal Air Force Museum)
- The USGA does not count it as a US Open. (Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association)
- From 1940 to 1945; it returned at St Andrews in 1946. (Source: The R&A, Open history)
- 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)
- Repairs were needed before the 1946 event. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club / Masters.com, history)
- Stopping play for gunfire cost nothing. (Source: Richmond Golf Club, wartime 'Temporary Rules'; British Golf Museum, St Andrews)

## 1.17 Kings, Queens and Golf

Royal golfers and royal favours: Charles I at Leith, James VI's clubmaker, the Duke of York's foursome and royal R&A captains.

### Test 1: Royal golfers

- He is said to have left the game at once. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- An Edinburgh bow-maker. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- Imported balls were costing Scotland money. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- He became King James VII and II in 1685. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; Royal Mile history, Golfer's Land)
- Tradition says the winnings built his house. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- It became known as Golfer's Land. (Source: Royal Mile history, Golfer's Land, Canongate)
- His brother Albert was captain in 1930. (Source: The R&A, past captains)
- 1603, 1641, about 1681 and 1922. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; The R&A, past captains)
- 1863, 1922 and 1930. (Source: The R&A, past captains)
- It is a mark of royal patronage. (Source: The Royal Household, royal patronage; club histories)

## 1.18 Presidents on the Fairway

US presidents and golf: Taft, Wilson's black balls, Eisenhower's green and tree, Ford's ace and two presidential trophies.

### Test 1: Presidents on the fairway

- He took up the game before his presidency. (Source: White House Historical Association, 'Presidents and golf')
- So they could be seen against the white. (Source: White House Historical Association, 'Presidents and golf')
- His doctor urged him to play for his health. (Source: White House Historical Association, 'Presidents and golf')
- It stood on the 17th hole. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club / Masters.com, history)
- At the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic pro-am. (Source: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library)
- First played at St Andrews in 1958. (Source: International Golf Federation, Eisenhower Trophy history)
- Walker was USGA president in 1920. (Source: USGA Museum and Library, United States Golf Association, Walker Cup history)
- 1909, 1913, 1953 and 1974. (Source: White House Historical Association, 'Presidents and golf')
- Clifford Roberts ruled the proposal out of order in 1956. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club / Masters.com, history)
- The USGA installed it. (Source: White House Historical Association, 'Presidents and golf')

## 1.19 The First Golf Books

The first golf poem and instruction book, the Badminton Library, Bernard Darwin and Wodehouse's golf stories.

### Test 1: The first golf books

- A mock-heroic poem about a match on Leith Links. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; National Library of Scotland)
- He was an Edinburgh lawyer's clerk who later became a minister. (Source: National Library of Scotland)
- Written by 'A Keen Hand'. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- He was later the first Englishman to captain the R&A. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; The R&A, past captains)
- Bernard was also a fine amateur golfer. (Source: The Times archive, Bernard Darwin)
- He covered golf for nearly fifty years. (Source: The Times archive, Bernard Darwin)
- Many are told by 'the Oldest Member' of a club. (Source: The P G Wodehouse Society (UK))
- 1743, 1857, 1890 and 1992. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- 1859, 1876 and 1916. (Source: British Golf Museum, St Andrews; USGA Museum)
- It was 'The Goff', a poem. (Source: National Library of Scotland)

## 1.20 Golf in Old Paintings

Golf in art: a Flemish book of hours, Rembrandt, the Blackheath Golfer, Charles Lees and Sir John Lavery.

### Test 1: Golf in old paintings

- Dozens of St Andrews figures crowd round the green. (Source: National Galleries of Scotland, 'The Golfers' by Charles Lees)
- It hangs in Edinburgh. (Source: National Galleries of Scotland, 'The Golfers' by Charles Lees)
- 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'))
- It shows a club captain in a red coat. (Source: Royal Blackheath Golf Club, history; British Golf Museum, St Andrews)
- His caddie carries his clubs under one arm. (Source: Royal Blackheath Golf Club, history)
- The player kneels to strike in a doorway. (Source: Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt etching 'The Kolf Player' (1654))
- Painted when Old Tom was in his eighties. (Source: The R&A, art collection)
- About 1540, 1654, about 1790 and 1847. (Source: British Library; Rijksmuseum; National Galleries of Scotland, 'The Golfers' by Charles Lees)
- 1606, about 1760, 1800 and 1856. (Source: Rijksmuseum; National Galleries of Scotland)
- He painted the links there around 1920. (Source: National Galleries of Scotland, Sir John Lavery)

Sources: Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia: The R&A, the USGA Museum, the British Golf Museum, club histories, national galleries and libraries, presidential libraries. Facts already asked in golf Knowledge Testing (the 1457 ban, Royal Calcutta, the feathery, colf as a word) are left out.

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