A Brief History of Golf

 Golf’s Origins

Golf’s origins can be traced to Scotland, where it was first invented and popularized. In fact, the game was so well liked that, in 1457, it was banned because Scots were expected to spend their time on practicing archery to defend their country, but many were spending a lot more time playing golf (what can we say, we get it). After the golf ban was lifted in 1501, the game became popular again and in 1744 the first golf organization, The Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, was established.

Early Golf Courses

Golf was originally played on public land near the sea. These public lands were called “links” and were used by locals for various events and activities as well as as a place for their livestock to graze. Since many people would be using the area for different things at once, golfers would wear red to indicate what they were doing so that passersby would know to watch out for flying balls.

Early Golf Balls

Up until about 1850, golf balls were handmade using leather stitched into a sphere and stuffed with feathers. These balls were called “featheries.” We know what you’re thinking—how were balls with a feather core heavy enough? The answer is that they were stuffed with a lot of feathers, so much so that the ball was significantly weighted. The feathers were packed into the ball while wet, so that when they dried out inside the ball they would expand, making the leather exterior expand, resulting in a hard feeling ball.

While featheries were great a few hundred years ago, you may want something a little more modern to play with! We have a huge selection of golf balls from all of the brands golfers trust most.