Timeline of golf history (1353-1850)
Encyclopedia
The following is a partial timeline of the history of golf:
The Bangalore golf club was formed in 1868 and not 1820 as stated in timeline.
- 1421 - A ScottishScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
regimentRegimentA regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
aiding the FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
against the EnglishEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at the Siege of Bauge is introduced to the game of chole. Hugh Kennedy, Robert Stewart and John Smale, three of the identified players, are credited with introducing the game in Scotland. - 1457 - Golf, along with football, is banned by the Scots ParliamentParliament of ScotlandThe Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
of James IIJames II of ScotlandJames II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
to preserve the skills of Archery by prohibiting gowf on Sundays because it has interfered with military training for the wars against the English. - 1470 - The ban on golf is reaffirmed by the Parliament of James IIIJames III of ScotlandJames III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
. - 1491 - The golf ban is affirmed again by Parliament, this time under James IVJames IV of ScotlandJames IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
. - 1502 - With the signing of the Treaty of Glasgow between England and Scotland, the ban on golf is lifted.
- James IV makes the first recorded purchase of golf equipment, a set of golf clubGolf club (equipment)A golf club is used to hit a golf ball in a game of golf. Each club is composed of a shaft with a grip and a clubhead. Woods are mainly used for long-distance fairway or tee shots; irons, the most versatile class, are used for a variety of shots; Hybrids that combine design elements of woods and...
s from a bowBow (weapon)The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
-maker in PerthPerth, ScotlandPerth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
.
- James IV makes the first recorded purchase of golf equipment, a set of golf club
- 1513 - Queen CatherineCatherine of AragonCatherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
, queen consortQueen consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of England, in a letter to Cardinal Wolsey, refers to the growing popularity of golf in England. - 1527 - The first commonerCommonerIn British law, a commoner is someone who is neither the Sovereign nor a peer. Therefore, any member of the Royal Family who is not a peer, such as Prince Harry of Wales or Anne, Princess Royal, is a commoner, as is any member of a peer's family, including someone who holds only a courtesy title,...
recorded as a golfer is Sir Robert Maule, described as playing on Barry LinksBarry, AngusBarry is a small village in Angus, Scotland at the mouth of the River Tay. The recent completion of a bypass for the village on the A930 road from Dundee to Carnoustie is something that was originally planned before the Second World War. There is a water mill operated by the National Trust for...
, AngusAngusAngus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
(near the modern-day town of CarnoustieCarnoustieCarnoustie is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated at the mouth of the Barry Burn on the North Sea coast...
). - 1552 - The first recorded evidence of golf at St. Andrews, FifeFifeFife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
. - 1553 - The Archbishop of St AndrewsArchbishop of St AndrewsThe Bishop of St. Andrews was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of St Andrews and then, as Archbishop of St Andrews , the Archdiocese of St Andrews.The name St Andrews is not the town or church's original name...
issues a decreeDecreeA decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
giving the local populace the right to play golf on the linksLinks (golf)A links is the oldest style of golf course, first developed in Scotland. The word "links" comes from the Scots language and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes and sometimes to open parkland. It also retains this more general meaning in the Scottish English dialect...
at St. Andrews. - 1567 - Mary, Queen of Scots, seen playing golf shortly after the death of her husband Lord DarnleyHenry Stuart, Lord DarnleyHenry Stewart or Stuart, 1st Duke of Albany , styled Lord Darnley before 1565, was king consort of Scotland and murdered at Kirk o'Field...
, is the first known female golfer. - 1589 - Golf is banned in the Blackfriars Yard, GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. This is the earliest reference to golf in the west of ScotlandWest of ScotlandWest of Scotland may refer to:*West of Scotland, an electoral region of the Scottish Parliament*Informally, an area comprising Argyll, Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire*West of Scotland Football Club*West of Scotland Cricket Club...
. - 1592 - The Royal BurghRoyal burghA royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
of EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
bans golfing at LeithLeith-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
on Sunday "in tyme of sermonis." (Eng: sermonSermonA sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
s) - 1618 - Invention of the featherie ball.
- King James VI of Scotland and I of England confirms the right of the populace to play golf on Sundays.
- 1621 - First recorded reference to golf on the links of DornochDornochDornoch is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth to the east...
(later Royal Dornoch), in the far north of Scotland. - 1641 - Charles ICharles I of EnglandCharles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
is playing golf at Leith when he learns of the Irish rebellionIrish Rebellion of 1641The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
, marking the beginning of the English Civil WarEnglish Civil WarThe English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. He finishes his round. - 1642 - John Dickson receives a licence as ball-maker for AberdeenAberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. - 1659 - Golf is banned from the streets of Albany, New YorkAlbany, New YorkAlbany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
-the first reference to golf in America. - 1682 - In the first recorded international golf match, the Duke of YorkDuke of YorkThe Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
and John Paterstone of Scotland defeat two English noblemen in a match played on the links of Leith.- Andrew Dickson, carrying clubs for the Duke of York, is the first recorded caddyCaddyIn golf, a caddy is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin...
.
- Andrew Dickson, carrying clubs for the Duke of York, is the first recorded caddy
- 1687 - The student diary of Thomas KincaidThomas KincaidThomas Kincaid , also described as Thomas Kincaid the Younger, was a keen Edinburgh medical student, golfer and archer, whose student diary includes the earliest known instructions for playing golf.-Early life and diary:...
includes his Thoughts on Golve, and contains the first instructions on playing golf, and on how golf clubs are made. - 1721 - Earliest reference to golf at Glasgow GreenGlasgow GreenGlasgow Green is a park situated in the east end of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde. It is the oldest park in the city dating back to the 15th century.In 1450, King James II granted the land to Bishop William Turnbull and the people of Glasgow...
, the first course played in the west of Scotland. - 1724 - "A solemn match of golf" between Alexander Elphinstone and Captain John PorteousCaptain John PorteousCaptain John Porteous, was a Scottish soldier, Captain of the City Guard of Edinburgh .-Early life:John Porteous was born at The Glen, Quair Water, near Traquair, in the Borders, the son of Stephen Porteous, a tailor of the Canongate, Edinburgh. Little is known of his early life, except that he...
becomes the first match reported in a newspaper. Elphinstone fights and wins a duelDuelA duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
on the same ground in 1729. - 1735 - The Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh is formed.
- 1743 - Thomas Mathison's epic The Goff is the first literary effort devoted to golf.
- 1744 - The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers is formed, playing at Leith links. It is the first golf clubCountry clubA country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
.- The Royal Burgh of Edinburgh pays for a SilverSilverSilver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
Cup to be awarded to the annual champion in an open competition played at Leith. John Rattray is the first champion.
- The Royal Burgh of Edinburgh pays for a Silver
- 1754 - Golfers at St. Andrews purchase a Silver Cup for an open championshipOpen (sport)An Open in sports terminology refers to a sporting event or game tournament that is open to all people, regardless of their age, ability, gender, or other categorization. Opens are usually found in golf, tennis, quizbowl, snooker, darts, volleyball, ultimate, squash and chess....
played on the Old Course. Bailie William Landale is the first champion.- The first codified Rules of GolfRules of golfThe rules of golf are a standard set of regulations and procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. They are jointly written and administered by the R&A the governing body of golf worldwide except in the United States and Mexico, which are the responsibility of the United States Golf...
published by the St. Andrews Golfers (later the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews).
- The first codified Rules of Golf
- 1759 - Earliest reference to stroke playStroke playStroke play, also known as medal play, is a scoring system in the sport of golf. It involves counting the total number of strokes taken on each hole during a given round, or series of rounds...
, at St. Andrews. Previously, all play was match. - 1761 - The Bruntsfield LinksBruntsfield LinksBruntsfield Links is of park in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh, immediately to the south-west of The Meadows, which it adjoins.Unlike The Meadows, which is a former loch, Bruntsfield Links was always dry...
Golfing Society of Edinburgh is formed. - 1764 - The competition for the Silver Club at LeithLeith-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
is restricted to members of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.- The first four holes at St. Andrews are combined into two, reducing the round from twenty-two holes (11 out and in) to 18 (nine out and in). St. Andrews is the first 18-hole golf course, and sets the standard for future courses.
- 1766 - The BlackheathBlackheath, LondonBlackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
Club in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
becomes the first golf club formed outside of Scotland. - 1767 - The score of 94 returned by James Durham at St. Andrews in the Silver Cup competition sets a record unbroken for 86 years.
- 1768 - The Golf House at Leith is erected. It is the first golf clubhouse.
- 1773 - Competition at St. Andrews is restricted to members of the Leith and St. Andrews societies.
- 1774 - Thomas McMillan offers a Silver Cup for competition at MusselburghMusselburghMusselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...
, East LothianEast LothianEast Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
. He wins the first championship.- The first part-time golf course professional (at the time also the greenkeeper) is hired, by the Edinburgh Burgess Society.
- 1780 - The Society of Golfers at Aberdeen (later the Royal Aberdeen Golf ClubRoyal Aberdeen Golf ClubRoyal Aberdeen Golf Club in Aberdeen, Scotland, was founded in 1780 and claims to be the sixth oldest golf club in the world. It was founded as the Society of Golfers at Aberdeen, and became the Aberdeen Golf Club in 1815....
) is formed. - 1783 - A Silver Club is offered for competition at Glasgow.
- 1786 - The South Carolina Golf Club is formed in CharlestonCharleston, South CarolinaCharleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, the first golf club outside of the United Kingdom.- The CrailCrailCrail ; ) is a former royal burgh in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland.-History:Crail probably dates from at least as far back as the Pictish period, as the place-name includes the Pictish/Brythonic element caer, 'fort', and there is a Dark Age cross-slab preserved in the parish kirk, itself...
Golfing Society is formed.
- The Crail
- 1788 - The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers requires members to wear club uniform when playing on the links.
- 1797 - The BurntislandBurntislandBurntisland is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland on the Firth of Forth. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 5,940....
Golf Club is formed.- The town of St. Andrews sells the land containing the Old Course (known then as Pilmor Links), to Thomas ErskineThomas ErskineThomas Erskine of Linlathen was a Scottish advocate and lay theologian in the early part of the 19th century. With his friend the Reverend John McLeod Campbell he attempted a revision of Calvinism.-Life:...
for 805 pounds. Erskine was required to preserve the course for golf.
- The town of St. Andrews sells the land containing the Old Course (known then as Pilmor Links), to Thomas Erskine
- 1806 - The St. Andrews Club chooses to elect its captains rather than award captaincy to the winner of the Silver Cup. Thus begins the tradition of the Captain "playing himself into office," by hitting a single shot before the start of the annual competition.
- 1810 - Earliest recorded reference to a women's competition at Musselburgh.
- 1820 - The Bangalore ClubBangalore ClubLocated in Bangalore, India, The Bangalore Club is the oldest club in the city, founded in 1868. It counts among its previous members Winston Churchill and the Maharajah of Mysore. A ledger on display in the main building of the club is open to a page that has a list of "irrecoverable debts" that...
is formed. - 1824 - The Perth Golfing Society is formed, later Royal Perth (the first club so honored).
- 1826 - HickoryHickoryTrees in the genus Carya are commonly known as hickory, derived from the Powhatan language of Virginia. The genus includes 17–19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and big nuts...
imported from America is used to make golf shafts. - 1829 - The Dum Dum Golfing Club, later Calcutta Golf Club (and later still Royal Calcutta) is formed.
- 1832 - The North BerwickNorth BerwickThe Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...
Club is founded, the first to include women in its activities, although they are not permitted to play in competitions. - 1833 - King William IVWilliam IV of the United KingdomWilliam IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
confers the distinction of "Royal" on the Perth Golfing Society; as Royal Perth it is the first Club to hold the distinction.- The St. Andrews Golfers ban the stymie, but rescind the ban one year later.
- 1834 - William IVWilliam IV of the United KingdomWilliam IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
confers the title "Royal and Ancient" on the Golf Club at St. Andrews. - 1836 - The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers abandons the deteriorating Leith Links, moving to Musselburgh.
- The longest drive ever recorded with a feathery ball, 361 yards, is achieved by Samuel Messieux at Elysian FieldsElysian Fields-General use:* Elysium, in Greek mythology, the final resting places of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous- Places :* Elysian Fields, Hoboken, New Jersey, site of the first organized baseball game* Elysian Fields Avenue, New Orleans* Elysian Fields, Texas...
.
- The longest drive ever recorded with a feathery ball, 361 yards, is achieved by Samuel Messieux at Elysian Fields
- 1842 - The Bombay Golfing Society (later Royal Bombay) is founded.
- 1844 - Blackheath follows Leith in expanding its course from five to seven holes. North Berwick also had seven holes at the time, although the trend toward a standard eighteen had begun.
- 1848 - Invention of the "guttie," the gutta-perchaGutta-perchaGutta-percha is a genus of tropical trees native to Southeast Asia and northern Australasia, from Taiwan south to the Malay Peninsula and east to the Solomon Islands. The same term is used to refer to an inelastic natural latex produced from the sap of these trees, particularly from the species...
ball. It flies farther than the feathery and is much less expensive. It contributes greatly to the expansion of the game.
The Bangalore golf club was formed in 1868 and not 1820 as stated in timeline.