You may think of green rolling hills, water traps, tree lines and a little ball when I say golf. Or you may think of Tiger Woods, golf clubs and carts. What does not come to mind for anyone is it was once a criminal game. The King of Scotland, King James II, felt very different about golf however and banned it in 1457. Why would a popular king pass a ban on a popular sport? That was 600 years ago. How long has golf been around? How has the game changed and how is it the same? 

To understand King James’ reason for banning golf you must understand the world he lived in. When he was 6 years old, his father was assassinated so that others could take the throne. He and his mom survived but he was too young to become king. For 10 years people fought over his power. When he was old enough to actually rule Scotland, the fighting within his country didn’t end and he was also having to fight off the English, who wanted to control Scotland. James needed all the soldiers he could get so it was ordered that all men in Scotland serve time in the King’s army. King James found out that the young men were in the streets and fields playing golf or football (Americans call it soccer) and they were not practicing their war skills like archery. So he had the game banned. Three years after the ban, King James II was killed on the battlefield when a cannon he was standing next to exploded. Golf was pardoned.

The game of golf is played on a golf course. Golfers use clubs to hit a golf ball down the course and into a hole using as few hits, or strokes, as possible. Golf equipment is very specialized and has changed quite a bit since King James was around. A golfer’s bag for example has four different kinds of clubs, and each one has a specific job. In the early years of the game golfers used staffs. The balls then were leather sacks stitched together and filled with feathers. The ball was boiled and dried to make it hard and smooth. Today golf balls are high tech and they say each ball has 336 little dimples. Don’t ask me if that is true, because I am not going to count them to find out.

There are more than 32,000 golf courses in the world and more than 66 million golfers. 

The greatest golfer of all time is Jack Nicklaus now but Tiger Woods is gaining on him.

The youngest PGA pro was 11 year old Don Dunkelberger.

A golf course named Nullarbor Links in Australia is 850 miles long.

Legendary golfer Lee Trevino was struck by lightning 3 times the first time in 1975.

There is an endless list of reasons to go out and learn how to play golf no matter how old you are. Kids as young as two and professionals as old as 104 like Gus Andreone. You don’t have to be a super athlete, you just have to master specific skills and practice. Golf gets you out in the fresh air, you meet new people you would have never met otherwise. Golf teaches etiquette, sportsmanship, and a love of nature. Camps and classes are offered around the world. Many golf courses have youth camps during the summer and if you are a serious youth golfer look to see if your state’s universities offer a camp, most do.