Miles Bennett
Golf is a club-and-ball sport that originated in Scotland in the 15th century. Players use various clubs to hit a ball into a series of 9 or 18 holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. The game has a long history, with evidence of similar stick and ball games played by the Dutch in the 13th century and the Chinese during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Over time, golf has evolved and spread internationally, with the establishment of golf courses and clubs around the world. The rules of golf are internationally standardised, with governing bodies such as The R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA) working to simplify and regulate the sport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin | Scotland |
| Year of Origin | 15th century |
| First Played | On seaside links near Edinburgh |
| Equipment | Balls made of compressed feathers wrapped in stitched horse hide; clubs made of wood, beech, ash or hazel |
| Objective | Play as few strokes per round as possible |
| Scoring | "Birdie", "Eagle", "Albatross", "Condor", "Bogey", "Par", "Hole-in-one" or "Ace" |
| Course | 18 holes, but 9-hole courses are common |
| Variations | Scramble, Best-ball, Stroke play, Match play |
| What the Golf? | A comedy game with puzzles, challenges and surprises |
| Released in 2019 for iOS, macOS and tvOS |
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What You'll Learn
What the Golf? is a comedy game with puzzles, challenges and surprises
WHAT THE GOLF? is a comedy game with puzzles, challenges, and surprises. It is a silly physics-based golf parody where each golf course is a new and surprising type of golf, ranging from the brilliant and hilarious to the absurd. The game has a multiplayer mode called Party Mode, which was initially released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch version before being released for other non-Apple Arcade versions. The game's developers chose golf as the sport to parody because it is "mostly played by rich people, so it seemed like a safe target". The levels in the game were designed to be short so that as many jokes as possible could be attempted. Much of the game's humor is based on slapstick, as it was seen as a form of comedy that would work regardless of the player's location.
The game was released on 19 September 2019 for iOS, macOS, and tvOS on Apple Arcade by The Label. A macOS version separate from Apple Arcade and a Windows port launched through the Epic Games Store on 1 October 2019. A Nintendo Switch port was released on 21 May 2020, and a Steam version was released on 22 October 2020. PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions were released on 14 March 2024. The game received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.
WHAT THE GOLF? has been described as a game made for people who hate golf, by people with no clues about or respect for the game. However, it does contain some elements of golf, along with a multitude of random objects and themes. Each section of the world map has its own theme, which the level's unique mechanics follow in a comedic fashion. The game's crown system was designed to make players revisit levels and for people who wanted to complete everything.
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The game parodies golf courses and includes slapstick humour
The video game What the Golf? is a silly physics-based golf parody where every golf course is a new surprising type of golf. The game was released on 19 September 2019 for iOS, macOS and tvOS on Apple Arcade. It received "generally favorable" reviews according to Metacritic. The game was designed to be comedic, with short levels to allow for as many jokes as possible. The developers chose golf as the sport to parody because it is "mostly played by rich people, so it seemed like a safe target".
Each section of the world map in the game has its own theme, with levels that comedically follow the unique mechanics of the theme. Much of the game's humour is based on slapstick, as it was seen as a form of comedy that would work regardless of the player's location. The game's crown system was designed to encourage players to revisit levels.
The game features a multiplayer mode, Party Mode, which was initially released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch version before being released for other non-Apple Arcade versions. A macOS version separate from Apple Arcade and a Windows port launched through the Epic Games Store on 1 October 2019. A Nintendo Switch port was released on 21 May 2020.
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The game was crowdfunded and released in 2019 for iOS, macOS and tvOS
The golf-themed comedy game What the Golf? was crowdfunded through the American crowdfunding website Fig. The developers chose golf as the sport to parody because it was "mostly played by rich people, so it seemed like a safe target". The game was released on 19 September 2019 for iOS, macOS and tvOS on Apple Arcade by The Label.
The game features a world map divided into sections, each with its own theme and unique mechanics. The levels in the game were designed to be short so that players could experience as many jokes as possible. Much of the game's humour is based around slapstick, a form of comedy that relies on broad physical humour and ridiculous situations. This type of comedy was chosen because it was seen as a form of humour that would work regardless of the player's location.
The game's crown system was designed to encourage players to revisit levels, and for completionists who wanted to complete everything. The developers also considered adding unlockable skins for the golf ball, but this idea was ultimately scrapped. In addition to the Apple Arcade version, a macOS version separate from Apple Arcade and a Windows port were released through the Epic Games Store on 1 October 2019.
What the Golf? received "generally favourable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. The game has been described as "a game made for people who hate golf, by people with no clues about or respect for the game". It offers a silly, physics-based parody of golf, where every golf course presents a new and surprising type of golf, ranging from the brilliant and hilarious to the absurd.
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The game received generally favorable reviews
The video game What the Golf? received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic. The game, which was crowdfunded through the American crowdfunding website Fig, is a silly physics-based golf parody. Each level is short and filled with jokes, slapstick humour, and comedic mechanics. The game's developers chose golf as the sport to parody because it is "mostly played by rich people, so it seemed like a safe target".
What the Golf? was released on 19 September 2019 for iOS, macOS, and tvOS on Apple Arcade. A macOS version separate from Apple Arcade and a Windows port launched through the Epic Games Store on 1 October 2019. A Nintendo Switch port was released on 21 May 2020, and a Steam version was released on 22 October 2020. Versions for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were released on 14 March 2024.
The game features a multiplayer mode called Party Mode, which was initially released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch version before being released for other non-Apple Arcade versions. The game also features a crown system designed to encourage players to revisit levels.
What the Golf? has received positive reviews from players, with an average rating of "Very Positive" on Steam, based on over 2,000 reviews. The game has been described as "a comedy game with puzzles, challenges, and loads of surprises" and "a game made for people who hate golf, by people with no clues about or respect for the game."
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The game was made for people who hate golf
WHAT THE GOLF? is a comedy game that parodies the sport of golf. The game was designed to be accessible to people who dislike golf, with short levels that feature a multitude of random objects and surprising mechanics that are only loosely based on the traditional sport.
The game was developed by people who had "no clues about or respect" for the traditional game of golf. It features a variety of levels, including "Sporty Sports!", "It's Snowtime", and "A Hole New World", which incorporate objects such as toasters, hot dogs, and office chairs. The physics-based game includes slapstick humour and was designed to work for players from all regions.
The game's levels are short, allowing for a wide variety of jokes and mechanics to be explored. The developers chose golf as the sport to parody because it is "mostly played by rich people, so it seemed like a safe target". The game also features a multiplayer mode, called "Party Mode", which was initially released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch version.
WHAT THE GOLF? received generally positive reviews, with praise for its humour and innovative level design. The game offers a fresh and lighthearted take on the traditional sport, providing an accessible and entertaining experience for players who may not typically enjoy golf.
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Frequently asked questions
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit a ball into a series of 9 or 18 holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
There are two basic forms of golf play: match play and stroke play. In match play, two players or two teams play each hole as a separate contest against each other. The party with the lower score wins that hole. In stroke play, the player or team with the lower score over the full course wins.
Golfers use a variety of clubs and balls. The balls are spherical, usually white, and covered in small dimples to decrease aerodynamic drag.
Playing a stroke effectively requires adopting the correct stance. This involves a slight crouch, with the non-dominant side of the body facing the target. The clubhead is then placed behind the ball, with the player's body and club face parallel to the desired line of travel.
The modern game of golf, with its distinctive 18-hole course, originated in 15th-century Scotland. However, there is evidence of similar stick and ball games throughout history, such as the Chinese sport of "chuiwan" during the Song Dynasty and the Roman game of "paganica". The game was spread internationally by Scottish soldiers, immigrants, and expatriates in the 18th century, and the oldest golf courses outside Britain were established in France in the 19th century. The United States Golf Association was formed in 1894 to organize championships and formulate rules for the game.
