| What country invented 'golf?' Many countries | | | | Open was being played 35 years before the |
| did. If there were sticks and objects that | | | | U.S. Open. It has been called "The World |
| could be hurtled along, then there was | | | | Open." Players from around the globe |
| 'golf.' No one knows for certain who started | | | | participate, as they have for a century or |
| golf. But everybody knows who plays it now - | | | | more. The British Open is all-inclusive. The |
| everyone does. The origin of the name 'golf' | | | | U.S. Open has been moving in that direction |
| is believed to be the Dutch word of 'colf,' | | | | for the last decade. But the British Open has |
| which means 'club.' In the medieval ages, | | | | been accepting a cast from around the world |
| golf was also known as "spel metten colve,' | | | | since the turn of the century. It is not |
| which literally meant 'game with clubs.' | | | | known for certain when golf came to America - |
| Nearly every area around the world has some | | | | only that when it got a toehold in the 20th |
| claim to the origination of golf. Scotland, | | | | century, America became the world leader in |
| of course, has its claim. But so do ,. Every | | | | great players. By 1900, the explosion of the |
| country has a game consisting of sticks and | | | | game in America was complete. Proof was that, |
| balls, and every country is correct in its | | | | at the turn of the century, there were more |
| assumption that it invented the game. But | | | | golf clubs in the United States than there |
| there is no one country where 'golf' actually | | | | were in Britain. Tiger Woods came upon the |
| began. Still, Scotland is widely considered | | | | scene in 1996. He won eight times in 1999, |
| to be birthplace of golf. And it began | | | | nine times in 2000, and won the four major |
| haphazardly, a way of hitting a pebble or | | | | championships in succession in 2000-2001, |
| other roundish object into a hole by means of | | | | starting with the U.S. Open in 2000. Should |
| a stick or club. Edinburgh, Scotland, claimed | | | | his career be as successful in his 30s and |
| the first golfing society. The Gentlemen | | | | 40s as it has been in his 20s, he will assume |
| Golfers - later known as the Honourable | | | | the mantle of "best player ever." Women have |
| Company of Edinburgh Golfers and today in | | | | played a very large part in the history of |
| residence at Muirfield - claim their club was | | | | golf, even before the last half of the 20th |
| already under way in 1744. The first | | | | century when they finally achieved equality |
| inter-Scotland club matches were played in | | | | with men. Records of ladies playing golf |
| 1857. The world would wait until 1860 for the | | | | exist all the way back to the time of Mary |
| first British Open to be played. The British | | | | Queen of Scots. |