Nicklaus-Palmer Playoff At Natinal Open Golf Championship Pitts. (1962) by John DominisLIFE Photo Collection
On the face of it, golf is a very simple game. Using a club you need to hit the ball from a tee-off point towards a flag which marks the spot of a small hole. The aim is to get the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible.
Golf Tornament by Allan GrantLIFE Photo Collection
It's not quite as easy as that sounds, however, and this simple premise has been enough to drive millions of players to both distraction and joy over the centuries. Not to mention generating a multi billion dollar industry and global sporting network.
By Martha HolmesLIFE Photo Collection
But how much do you really know about the history of golf, one of the most popular games on the planet? Below we have created a quiz to put your knowledge to the test. So, will you score an eagle? Or is it bogeys all the way?
Oakwood Park Golf (2019-07-16) by Beth StoddardImagine MKE
Question 1
In which modern day country is game thought to have originated in around the 15th century?
Scotland
The modern game was invented in Scotland. However, there is much debate amongst historians about whether there were earlier versions. Some trace the sport back to the 1st-century Roman game of paganica, which used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball. Others think a similar game called chuiwan was played by the Chinese between the 8th and 14th centuries.
El atlas de México (2005) by Baruch VergaraFundación Universidad de las Américas Puebla
Question 2
Where and what is the oldest golf course in the world?
The Old Course at St Andrews, Scotland
This links golf course (which means it is by the coast) dates to before 1574 and is considered to be a site of pilgrimage for many golf fanatics. It was here that the standard 18-hole golf course format was first designed, which still exists today.
SEVERIANO BALLESTEROS (1993-05-14) by PACO CAMPOSAgencia EFE
Question 3
How many Major golf tournaments are held each year?
Four
There are thousands of golf tournaments held around the world, but the four Majors are the most important. They are the US Open, the Masters, The Open Championship and the PGA Championships. Three of the four majors take place in the United States. The Masters is played at the same course, Augusta National Golf Club, every year, while the other three rotate locations. The Open Championship, held in the UK, is always played on a links course.
Women In Golf (1953-05-05) by Joe ScherschelLIFE Photo Collection
Question 4
Which golfing term is thought to have been invented by Mary, Queen of Scots, a big lover of the game?
Caddy
It comes from the French word for student, cadet. Mary, Queen of Scots is said to have commissioned the course at St Andrews and is thought to have been a big fan of the game. The first ever tournament for female golfers was held at Musselburgh in 1811.
Stoke Park, Slough, Farnham Royal and Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire (2018-03-26) by Damian Grady, Historic EnglandHistoric England
Question 5
The word 'golf' is quite unusual but where is it generally thought to have derived from?
The Netherlands
The original word in English for golf was 'gouf', which is believed to have come from the Dutch word kolfe or kolf which can be translated as 'club'. So, it's a Scottish game, that may have originated in China, that has a Dutch name. Quite a chequered history!
LIFE Photo Collection
Want to know more?
You can find out how golf has developed in different parts of the world with a fascinating closer look at a golf museum here.
