“Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle.” – Anon
Golf is one of the world’s most popular individual sports, played and spectated by millions of fans around the world each year. Although it may be played at a more serene pace than most, don’t let that fool you; golf is one of the most technically and mentally demanding sports out there. It takes remarkable skill to avoid hazards and land the ball on the green, and nerves of steel to sink that seemingly straightforward final putt with a rival breathing down your neck. What does that add up to? A sport with no shortage of world-class sporting drama!
📜 Golf History
Golf can trace its roots back to medieval times, when games that involved hitting a ball into a hole with a stick were played, although its exact origins are unknown. Such games eventually made their way to Scotland, and it was here in the 15th century where golf took on the form we recognise today, with the Old Course at St. Andrews – dating from 1552 – being regarded as the world's oldest golf course.
The forming of the modern game was not without its setbacks, however – the game was banned in 1457 by King James II of Scotland, who felt the sport was distracting young men from other duties, such as practicing their archery. His grandson, James IV, put an end to the ban in 1502 after taking a liking to golf himself.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, one of the world’s oldest golf clubs, was established in 1754. It played a key role in the formalisation of the sport; in 1764 the Old Course was reduced from 22 holes to 18, setting the standard that is still used today, and in 1860 it became the home of the world’s oldest golf tournament, The Open Championship (also known as the British Open).
Golf spread across Europe, the United States, and Asia, and today it is a global sport enjoyed by legions of fans, thanks to iconic players it has produced over the years from Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer to Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
💯 Golf Format & Scoring
Golf is a sport in which players use clubs to hit balls into a series of holes in the fewest number of strokes. It is played on a course comprised of 18 holes, although recreational courses may have just 9. Courses often feature breathtaking scenery and landscape features; every course is unique and the variety in terrain and hazards – such as water or sand bunkers – create challenges for the players to overcome.
Each hole has a par classification, which is the number of strokes a skilled player is expected to need to complete it. A score of 1-under par on a hole is known as a birdie, while 2-under is an eagle. Scores over par are known as bogeys.
Golf is played by amateurs and professionals both at private and public courses the world over. Tournaments typically take place over 4 days, Thursday to Sunday, with 1 round of 18 holes played each day for a total of 72. A cut is usually made at the close of play after 2 rounds, so that only the top-performing players advance to the weekend.
The most common format is known as stroke play, in which the winner is the player with the lowest number of strokes across all rounds. An alternate format is match play, in which a player or team earns a point for every hole on which they have scored lower than their opponent in a round.
The most prestigious events are the majors. There are 4 major championships in men’s golf; The Masters, the PGA Championship, the US Open, and The Open, and 5 in women’s golf; The Chevron Championship, the US Women's Open, the Women's PGA Championship, the Evian Championship, and The Women's Open.
Week to week, golf tournaments are organised by tours; the biggest men’s tours include the PGA Tour and DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour), while the biggest women’s tours include the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour. There are also senior tours such as the PGA Tour Champions, and developmental tours such as the Korn Ferry Tour.
While golf is primarily an individual sport, team competitions – most notably the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, and Solheim Cup – are also very popular.
