Where did golf originate?

The game of golf as it is played today began in Scotland. The earliest known reference to the game came in 1457 from King James II of Scotland.

By the mid-15th century, the Scots were playing the game of golf in a basic form by hitting a ball with a club and attempting to move it to the end point in as few strokes as possible. In 1744 the official rules of golf were put down in writing in Edinburgh. There is evidence to suggest that the Scots may have drawn upon ancient games played in Holland, France and Germany to create golf.