There are references to golf at different times, so historians still argue whether Scotland really became the ancestor of this sport. Many of them stubbornly claim that golf appeared in the Roman Empire, where part of the warriors’ training was to move a ball filled with feathers across the field with bent sticks.
This was done to better control the weapon during battles. Other references date back to the Chinese Ming Dynasty, on one of the scrolls that has survived to this day, the emperor is hitting a ball into a hole with a stick. In England and France, there are also stained glass windows and frescoes in which the nobility is depicted playing a game reminiscent of golf.
Scotland is considered the official country of origin of golf. Historians say that the game was invented by shepherds who were bored while grazing their cattle. They played with bent sticks and pebbles, trying to hammer them into rabbit holes. In 1457, there was even a royal decree banning this game. The prerequisite for the creation of the law was that the soldiers avoided preparations for military action against England by playing golf and football. After that, several more similar bans were issued, but they did not have much force, shepherds, and even the military, continued to play. The lifting of bans and the first rules of golf appeared in 1502 under King James IV, who himself became interested in this sport.
Due to the king’s passion, the local nobility began to play golf, the first equipped courses, etiquette and rules appeared. During the 16th century, golf began to seep into other countries, becoming an international sport. In 1900, for the first time, golf teams competed in the Olympic Games.