Did The Game of Golf Come From Outer Space ?

Art Bell I live by the golf course and almostgoose feathers. A feather ball cost three times as
eveynight there are UFOs at the links .much as a club and because feathery balls were
The exact origins of the game of golf remain aso delicate, players had to carry three to six balls
subject of continual debate. Although Scotland isIn addition the balls flew poorly in wet weather, a
generally considered as the birthplace of thefact that further dissuaded the working class
game, as it is played today. This claim is due inwho, unlike the gentry did not possess the
large part to a number of specific historicalflexibility of flexible time and leisure for scheduled
references dating as far back as the mid 1400s.games of golf.
The most commonly cited of these references isThe ball, as it has throughout history, dictated
a written record that a games called either geoff,other matters pertaining to the development of
gowf or gawd , this is a hard game was playedthe game. Because the feathery ball performed
during the reign of James II of Scotland. In 1457so inadequately when damp, early golf was played
King James proclaimed by royal decree that thepredominantly on the relatively arid eastern side
playing of "fluteball : and "gowf" were forbidden soof Scotland. Furthermore the eastern seaside
that the men of Scotland could concentrate onlocation was popular because the underlying sandy
their archery practice.soil drained more rapidly than the and the grass
Thus the pursuit of golf remained outlawed untilwas naturally shorter. It must be noted that the
the signing of the Treaty of Glasgow in the yearinvention of the lawn mower is a relatively current
of `1501 m which brought peace between theoccurrence. Along the way this short grassed
warring parties. At this point even Scotland Jamesseaside golfing location came to be too referred
IV took up the game of golf himself. A longto as links.
relationship between golf and royalty ensued -If the debate over whether the Scots or Dutch
although both commoners and gentry alikecreated the game of golf, the Scots certainly had
frowned upon Mary Queen of Scots when, ina hand in creating the golf club. Leith is considered
1567 was found to be playing golf just days afterthe birthplace of organized golf, and the golf club
the death of her husband Darney.called the Honorable Company of Gentleman
In an alternate theory of golf's beginnings, a DutchGolfers was founded by William St. Clair in Leith in
historian, Steven von Hengel, has argued that golf1744 and later became the Company of
originated in Holland around 1297. A form of theEdinburgh Golfers. Ten years later, the Royal and
game called spel metten kove and also called Colf.Ancient Golf Company was founded under it
Colf, it is believed, was played primarily on ice.original name, the Society of St. Andrews Golfers.
Nevertheless golf may have grown out of thisThe Royal and Ancient Golf Club runs the British
game and another game that was popular inOpen and British Amateur duties that it assumed
Holland, called Jeu De Mail. This letter carryingin 1919 , and since 1951 has administered the rules
game was played in wooden shoes with softof golf in cooperation with the United States Golf
spikes.Association . The R & A also established 18
Without question golf's major growth occurred inholes as the standard golf course. In 1764, the
Great Britain, primarily in Scotland. Golf became anOld Course at St. Andrews consisted of 22 holes
accepted part of the culture as early as 1604,with golfers playing 11 holes out and 11 back.
when William Mayne was appointed RoyalEventually the last 4 holes on each side, all short
Clubmaker, although the game was still reservedconverted into 2 holes leaving 18 to be played.
for the elite who had the wealth and leisure toThus is the history and origins of our modern
enjoy it. Early golf was played with a featherygame of golf that we treasure today.
golf ball - a stitched leather ball stuffed with boiled