Golf is one of the oldest sports still widely played today. Its story stretches back more than five centuries — from shepherds and townsfolk knocking pebbles across coastal grassland to a global game played by tens of millions of people on every continent. Along the way, golf developed its rules, its traditions, its equipment and its unique culture of etiquette and honesty.
This guide traces the history of golf, from its early origins to the modern game.
Early stick-and-ball games
People have hit objects with sticks for thousands of years, and several early games share features with golf:
- Ancient Roman players hit a stuffed leather ball with a bent stick in a game known as paganica.
- In China, a game called chuiwan — hitting a ball into holes with clubs — was played centuries ago.
- In the Low Countries (modern-day Netherlands and Belgium), a game called kolf or colf was popular in the Middle Ages. Players hit a ball towards a target such as a post or door, often on frozen canals and in streets.
These games show that the idea of hitting a ball towards a target with a stick was widespread. But the game we recognise as golf — played over open countryside, with the aim of getting the ball into a hole in as few strokes as possible — developed in Scotland.
Golf's Scottish origins
By the 15th century, golf was popular enough in Scotland to cause official concern. In 1457, the Scottish parliament banned golf (and football) because it distracted young men from archery practice, which was considered essential for national defence. The ban was repeated in later decades, which tells us the game remained stubbornly popular.
Golf flourished on Scotland's links — the sandy, grassy land between the sea and farmland. Links land was poor for farming but perfect for golf: firm turf, natural undulations, hollows that became bunkers (often where sheep sheltered from the wind) and short grass grazed by animals and rabbits.
Golf became popular across Scottish society, from ordinary townspeople to royalty. Over time, it spread with Scots who travelled and settled abroad.
The first rules of golf
For centuries, golf was played under local customs. In 1744, a group of golfers in Edinburgh wrote down the first known written rules of golf — just 13 rules — for a competition. Many of their principles survive today, such as playing the ball where it lies, not changing balls during a hole and the stroke-and-distance penalty for a lost ball.
As more clubs formed, rules gradually became standardised. Over the following two centuries, governing bodies were established to write and administer the rules, and today a single unified set of Rules of Golf is used worldwide. Major modernisations — including a significant simplification in 2019 — have made the rules easier to understand while preserving the game's core principles.
Why 18 holes?
Early courses had no standard number of holes. They varied according to the available land — some had 5, others 12, 22 or more.
In 1764, the golfers at St Andrews in Scotland combined several short holes on their course, reducing the round from 22 holes to 18. As that course grew in influence, 18 holes gradually became the standard for a full round of golf, a convention that spread around the world.
The evolution of the golf ball
The golf ball has changed dramatically over the centuries, and each change transformed the game.
| Era | Ball | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Early golf | Wooden balls | Simple, hard, hand-carved balls |
| 1600s–mid 1800s | Featherie | Leather pouch stuffed tightly with boiled feathers — expensive and fragile |
| Mid 1800s | Gutta-percha ("guttie") | Made from tree sap; cheaper, durable and could be remoulded |
| Late 1800s | Hand-hammered guttie | Golfers discovered that nicked, textured balls flew better than smooth ones |
| Around 1900 | Rubber-core (wound) ball | Rubber thread wound around a core; flew much further |
| 20th century | Dimpled balls | Dimple patterns refined to optimise lift and reduce drag |
| Late 20th century–today | Solid-core, multi-layer | Advanced cores and urethane or ionomer covers for distance and control |
The discovery that a textured surface made the ball fly further and more predictably led to the dimpled balls we use today. Dimples create a thin layer of turbulent air that reduces drag and helps the ball generate lift.
For today's options, read how to choose the right golf ball.
The evolution of golf clubs
Wooden clubs
Early clubs were made by hand from wood — often hardwoods such as beech, apple or holly for the heads and ash or hazel for the shafts. Club makers were skilled craftsmen, and players carried a selection of long-nosed woods for distance and a few iron-headed clubs for difficult lies.
Hickory shafts
By the 19th century, hickory became the preferred shaft material for its strength and flexibility. Iron-headed clubs became more common as the harder gutta-percha ball was less likely to be damaged by them.
Steel shafts
In the early 20th century, steel shafts appeared and, after initial resistance, were approved for use in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Steel was more consistent and durable, and allowed matched sets of clubs to be manufactured.
Numbered sets
Clubs once had evocative names — the mashie, niblick, cleek and spoon. With matched steel-shafted sets, numbered clubs became standard.
Metal woods and modern technology
In the late 20th century, metal-headed "woods" replaced persimmon wood. Larger, hollow titanium drivers followed, offering huge sweet spots. Graphite shafts, cavity-back irons and hybrids made the game easier for millions of golfers. Equipment rules now limit factors such as driver head size and the "springiness" of club faces to protect the challenge of the game.
Explore modern equipment in how to choose golf clubs and hybrid golf clubs explained.
The evolution of golf courses
Early golf was played on natural links land shaped by wind, sea and grazing animals. As golf spread inland in the 19th century, courses were built on heathland and parkland. Later, professional golf course architects began designing courses with deliberate strategy, shaping greens and bunkers to create interesting challenges.
Course maintenance changed too. Mechanical lawn mowers, irrigation systems and advances in turf science transformed playing conditions. Greens that were once rough and slow became smooth and fast. Today, sustainability — water conservation, wildlife habitats and reduced chemical use — is an important part of course management.
Read what makes a great golf course and links vs parkland vs heathland.
Golf spreads around the world
Golf travelled with Scottish and British soldiers, traders, teachers and emigrants. By the late 19th century, golf clubs had been established across Britain and in many countries around the world, including in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and Oceania.
The 20th century saw rapid growth:
- Public and municipal courses made golf accessible to more people.
- Professional tours developed, turning golf into a spectator sport.
- Television brought golf into homes around the world.
- Women's golf grew steadily, with women's clubs and championships established from the late 19th century onwards.
- Golf returned to the Olympic Games in 2016, having previously been played in 1900 and 1904.
Golf has even been played beyond Earth: in 1971, an astronaut famously hit golf balls on the surface of the Moon.
Handicaps: making golf fair for everyone
One of golf's unique features is the handicap system, which allows players of different abilities to compete fairly. Handicapping systems developed in different countries over time, and in 2020 most of the golfing world adopted a single World Handicap System. Read the World Handicap System explained.
Traditions and etiquette
Golf's traditions run deep:
- Players police themselves, calling penalties on themselves even when no one else sees.
- Etiquette — care for the course, respect for others and keeping pace — is part of the game's spirit.
- Dress codes reflect golf's social history, though they have relaxed considerably.
- The "19th hole" — the clubhouse bar — remains an essential part of golf culture.
See our golf etiquette guide.
Golf today and tomorrow
Modern golf is more varied and accessible than ever. Alongside traditional courses, golfers enjoy:
- Shorter formats — nine holes, par-3 courses and six-hole loops.
- Entertainment ranges with targets, technology and food.
- Simulators for year-round golf — see golf training aids and simulators.
- Inclusive programmes for juniors, women, beginners and adaptive golfers.
The game continues to evolve while keeping the essence that has drawn people to it for centuries: a ball, a club, a hole and the challenge of getting from one to the other in as few strokes as possible.
Golf history at a glance
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Medieval period | Stick-and-ball games such as kolf popular in the Low Countries |
| 15th century | Golf established on the links of Scotland |
| 1457 | Scottish parliament bans golf (and football) to protect archery practice |
| 1600s | Featherie balls in use |
| 1744 | First known written rules of golf (13 rules) drawn up in Edinburgh |
| 1764 | A round of 18 holes adopted at St Andrews, later becoming the standard |
| Mid 1800s | Gutta-percha ball introduced, making golf cheaper and more accessible |
| Late 1800s | Golf spreads rapidly worldwide; women's clubs and championships founded |
| Around 1900 | Rubber-core wound ball transforms distance |
| 1900 and 1904 | Golf played at the Olympic Games |
| Late 1920s–1930s | Steel shafts approved; numbered matched sets appear |
| Late 20th century | Metal woods, cavity-back irons and graphite shafts |
| 1971 | Golf balls struck on the Moon |
| 2016 | Golf returns to the Olympic Games |
| 2019 | Major simplification of the Rules of Golf |
| 2020 | World Handicap System introduced |
Golf terms with historic roots
Many words golfers use every day have long histories:
- Caddie — thought to derive from the French cadet, a younger son, later used in Scotland for errand boys and porters.
- Links — from an Old English word describing rising ground, used for the sandy coastal land where golf began.
- Fore — likely a shortened form of "before", warning people ahead.
- Bogey — once meant the score a good player should make on a hole, before "par" took that role.
- Tee — the small pile of sand once used to raise the ball, before wooden and plastic tees were invented.
Find many more in our golf glossary.
Women in golf history
Women have played golf for centuries. Records show women playing in Scotland by the 16th century, and dedicated women's golf clubs were founded in the second half of the 19th century. Women's national championships followed soon after, and women's professional golf grew strongly through the 20th century. Today, women's golf is one of the fastest-growing areas of the game, with programmes encouraging more women and girls to take up golf at every level.
Frequently asked questions
Where did golf originate?
Golf as we know it developed in Scotland in the 15th century, influenced by earlier stick-and-ball games played in Europe and Asia.
When were the first rules of golf written?
The first known written rules were drawn up in Edinburgh in 1744 and contained 13 rules.
Why does a round of golf have 18 holes?
In 1764 golfers at St Andrews reduced their course from 22 holes to 18, and that number gradually became the worldwide standard.
The bottom line
From medieval Scottish links to a global sport played under one set of rules, golf has evolved continuously — new balls, new clubs, new courses and new ways to play. Yet its heart remains unchanged: honesty, respect, challenge and the joy of a well-struck shot. Knowing golf's history adds another layer of enjoyment every time you step onto the first tee.
For the story of the equipment itself, read the evolution of golf clubs.
More history: women's golf, golf in America, the rules of golf, golf fashion and golf course architecture. And for what comes next, read the future of golf.
More history: caddies, the golf tee, the golf cart, golf on television and golf handicaps.