Jackson Reid
Golf has been featured in the Olympic Games on four occasions: 1900, 1904, 2016, and 2020. The sport made its Olympic debut during the second edition of the modern Games in Paris, 1900, and was also featured four years later at the 1904 Games in St. Louis. After a 112-year hiatus, golf returned to the Olympics in Rio in 2016, and later in Tokyo in 2020.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First documented mention of golf | 1457 Act of the Scottish Parliament |
| First mention of golf rules | 1540, in a book called "The Golf Book" |
| First woman golfer | Mary Queen of Scots, in 1552 |
| First golf club outside Scotland | Royal Blackheath, near London in 1766 |
| First golf club outside Britain | Bangalore, India in 1820 |
| First international golf match | Leith, near Edinburgh in 1682 |
| Golf as an Olympic sport | 1900, 1904, and 2016 |
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What You'll Learn
Golf's Olympic inclusion
Golf has had an on-off relationship with the Olympics. It featured in the 1900 and 1904 Games, then took a 112-year break before returning in 2016. It has been included in every Games since then, including the upcoming 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Golf's early Olympic inclusion
Golf was one of 19 sports in the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. It was a nine-hole competition, with 10 players from the US and France taking part. Twenty-two-year-old American Margaret Abbott emerged as the surprise winner, with a score of 47.
Four years later, at the 1904 Games in St Louis, golf returned. This time, it was a men's-only competition, with 77 golfers taking part. Canada's George Lyon won the gold medal after five straight days of 36-hole matchplay competition.
Golf's return to the Olympics
In October 2009, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to reinstate golf to the Olympic programme. It returned at the 2016 Games in Rio, where Great Britain's Justin Rose won the men's title and the Republic of Korea's Inbee Park won the women's.
Golf also featured at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), with Xander Schauffele of the US taking the men's gold medal and New Zealand's Lydia Ko winning the women's.
Golf at the 2024 Olympics
Golf will be making its fifth appearance as an Olympic sport at the 2024 Games in Paris. The men's and women's tournaments will both feature a maximum of 60 participants, with a limit of four players per nation.
Golf at the 2028 Olympics
In April 2025, it was announced that a new mixed team event would be added to golf for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The event will consist of 16 pairs, drawn from those who have qualified for the Olympic tournaments, and will include alternate shot and four-ball rounds.
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Golf's origins
The origins of golf are widely debated, with some historians tracing the sport back to the Roman game of paganica, which involved using a bent stick to hit a wool- or feather-stuffed leather ball. According to this theory, paganica spread throughout several countries as the Romans conquered much of Europe during the 1st century BC and eventually evolved into the modern game of golf. Others argue that golf descended from the Persian national game of chaugán, the ancestor of modern polo, or the Chinese game of chuiwan, which was played during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and involved hitting a ball with a stick while walking.
However, it is generally accepted that modern golf, as we know it today, developed in Scotland from the Middle Ages onwards. The first documented mention of golf in Scotland appears in a 1457 Act of the Scottish Parliament, which banned the playing of golf and football as they were a distraction from the more important military training of archery practice. Despite the ban, the sport continued to be played, and in 1502, King James IV of Scotland became the world's first golfing monarch, granting the game royal approval and spreading its popularity throughout 16th-century Europe.
Golf courses have not always had eighteen holes. In the 15th century, golfers at St Andrews in Scotland played on a course with eleven holes, laid out end to end from the clubhouse to the far end of the property. In 1764, several of the holes were deemed too short and were combined, reducing the number of holes to nine, with a complete round comprising eighteen holes. Due to the status of St Andrews as the golfing capital, other courses followed suit, and the 18-hole course became the standard.
The word "golf" is thought to be derived from the Scots word "gowf" or "golf", which is believed to be an alteration of the Dutch words "colf" or "colve", meaning "stick", "club", or "bat". The earliest known scenes depicting golf in Scotland are found in paintings dated 1680 (or 1720) and 1746–47. One of these paintings, by an unknown artist, depicts a gentlemen foursome and two caddies against the backdrop of the town of St. Andrews.
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Golf's evolution
The evolution of golf can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Scotland, where it is believed to have originated. The game has since spread internationally and undergone various changes, including the development of equipment and the standardisation of the 18-hole course.
Early History
Golf-like games have been played throughout history, with records of stick-and-ball games dating back to the 13th century in the Netherlands. In these games, players used sticks to hit a leather ball towards a target, with the winner being the player who reached the target with the fewest shots. However, the Scottish version of the game, known as "golf," introduced the use of a hole in the ground as the target. The earliest known mention of golf in Scotland appears in a 1457 Act of the Scottish Parliament, which banned the game as a distraction from military training. Despite the ban, the sport continued to be played and gained the royal seal of approval in 1502 when King James IV of Scotland became the world's first golfing monarch.
Spread and Standardisation
The popularity of golf spread throughout 16th-century Europe, with King Charles I introducing it to England and Mary Queen of Scots taking it to France. The first international golf match was played in 1682 at Leith near Edinburgh, and the game officially became a sport in 1744 with the formation of the first golf club and the establishment of an annual competition with silverware prizes. The evolution of golf courses also occurred during this period, with the St Andrews Links featuring a course with 11 holes laid out end-to-end, resulting in a total of 22 holes played per round. In 1764, several of these holes were combined, reducing the number to 9, and thus establishing the 18-hole standard that is still used today.
Modern Developments
The game of golf continued to gain popularity, and with increased demand, there were advancements in equipment technology. Wooden club heads were fashioned using machine tools, shafts were inserted rather than spliced, and iron clubs were drop-forged instead of hand-forged. The composition of balls also changed, with compressed feathers wrapped in stitched horse hide being replaced by more modern materials. The expansion of the British Empire in the 19th century further contributed to the global spread of golf, with the establishment of golf clubs in India (1820), Ireland (1856), Australia (1870), and beyond. The United States Golf Association (USGA) was established in 1894, and by 1900, over 1000 golf clubs had formed throughout the USA, solidifying its position as the centre of professional golf.
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Golf's rules
Golf is believed to have originated in Scotland from the Middle Ages onwards, although the first documented mention of the sport in Scotland was in 1457. The game gained international popularity in the late 19th century, and it featured in the Summer Olympics in 1900 and 1904. After a 112-year absence, golf returned for the 2016 Rio Games.
Golf has evolved over the centuries, with changes in equipment and the development of standardised rules. Here are some of the key rules that govern the modern game:
Number of Clubs
According to Rule 4-4, a golfer cannot carry more than 14 clubs in their bag. Having more than 14 clubs will result in a two-stroke penalty for every hole, or possible disqualification. It is possible to play with fewer than 14 clubs, but this is not recommended as it makes the game more difficult.
Tee Markers
Golfers must always tee their ball behind the tee markers. Placing the ball in front of the markers, even by an inch, will result in a one-stroke penalty.
Scoring
A hole is classified by its par, which indicates the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to need to complete the hole. Par 3, 4 and 5 holes are common, while par-6 and par-7 holes are rare. The player who completes the course in the fewest strokes wins.
Foursomes
Foursomes, or Alternate Shot, is a format where players compete in pairs and alternate shots. For example, on the first hole, Player A tees off, then Player B takes the second shot, and so on. On the second hole, Player B tees off, then Player A takes the second shot, and they continue to alternate.
Integrity and Penalty Calls
Golf is unique in that players are expected to call penalties on themselves. This aspect of the game emphasises integrity and sportsmanship.
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Golf's global spread
The origins of golf are unclear and highly debated, but it is widely accepted that the modern game developed in Scotland from the Middle Ages onwards. The first documented mention of golf in Scotland comes from a 1457 Act of the Scottish Parliament, in which King James II of Scotland banned the game as it was deemed a distraction from the practice of archery for military purposes. Golf was banned again in Acts of 1471 and 1491, described as "an unprofitable sport". Despite these bans, golf clubs and balls were purchased for King James IV during his visit to Perth in 1502, and on subsequent occasions in St Andrews and Edinburgh.
The earliest known scenes depicting golf in Scotland are found in two paintings dated 1680 (or 1720) and 1746–47. The earlier work, by an unknown artist, depicts a gentlemen's foursome and two caddies against the backdrop of St Andrews. The latter, by English watercolourist Paul Sandby, shows a squad of soldiers fighting over a golf ball at the foot of Edinburgh Castle.
In addition to these paintings, there are also engravings that highlight golf. "Playing Monkeys" by Pieter van der Borcht (1545–1608) features a monkey swinging a golf club at a teed ball, while "Venus, Protectress of Lovers" by Pieter Janszoon Saenredam (1597–1665) shows people playing golf in the margins of a picture of an embracing couple with Venus and Cupid.
Golf did not gain international popularity until the late 19th century when it spread to the rest of the United Kingdom, the British Empire, and the United States. A golf-like game is said to have been played in the Netherlands in the 17th century, and there are records of an earlier game played by the Dutch in 1297, in which participants used a stick and leather ball to hit a target several hundred yards away.
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Frequently asked questions
Golf featured in the 2016 Rio Games, marking its return to the Olympics after a 112-year absence.
The last time golf was banned was in 1491 by King James IV of Scotland, who described it as "an unprofitable sport". However, the ban was lifted in 1502 when the same king became the world's first golfing monarch.
The last time golf was depicted in art was in 1809, in a watercolour by the Englishman Paul Sandby. The painting shows a squad of soldiers fighting over a golf ball in the shrubbery at the foot of Edinburgh Castle.
