Chronological history of golf

In addition to our overview of the history of golf worldwide (and the history of golf in Germany), we offer here a chronological overview of golf history here:

  • The game SUIGAN was played in Ming Age China, the Japanese aristocracy of the Nara period in the 8th century B.C. played the game DAKYU – both are regarded as forerunners of today’s golf
  • Golf was first mentioned as “kolven” in Holland in 1297.

Golf courses in Holland:
Loenen van de Velde 1297
Letter 1387
Haarlem 1390
Dordrecht 1404
Naarden 1456

  • First documented mention of golf by King James in Scotland in 1457 and the Scottish Parliament passed a ban with the following content The enthusiasm for golf has increased to such an extent that young people follow this sport too much and consequently neglect the martial occupation of archery. The game must therefore be stopped.
  • In 1502, the Treaty of Perpetual Peace between Scotland and England revoked the ban on golf. It becomes known that James IV himself plays golf, because an invoice for golf clubs made for him appears in the budget of the court
  • The first bourgeois golfer finds 1527 will be the first bourgeois golfers mentioned that a Sir Robert Maule is said to have played on the Barry Links near today’s Carnoustie.
  • Golf was first mentioned in St Andrews in 1522.
  • In 1553, the archbishop issued a decree allowing the local population to play on the links.
  • In the same year (1553) Mary Stuart introduced the golf support in France.
  • In a painting from 1587, which shows Hugo Grozius, a leather-covered golf ball is shown
  • The first golf club maker was named William Mayne by King James VI as “Royal Clubmaker” in 1603
  • First golf club in England, Black Heath GC, founded in 1608
  • The first Ball Featherie, a leather ball filled with feathers, is introduced in 1618
  • The first mention of golf in America is a 1659 ban on playing in the streets of Albany, New York
  • The first known golf lessons by Thomas Kincaid in 1687
  • In 1735 the first golf club, the Royal Burgess Golf Society, was founded.
  • Foundation of the Society of St. Andrews Golfers, now R&A, in 1754
  • The counting game is first mentioned in 1759 in St Andrews, before that only the hole game was mentioned
  • In 1786 the South CarolinaGolf Club founded
  • 1820 for the first club foundation in Bangalore, continental Europe starts 1856 in Pau
  • Change of name from “Society of St. Andrews Golfers” to “Royal & Ancient GC of St. Andrews” 1834
  • The Guttapercha golf ball came on the market and displaced the Featherie Ball in 1884, which was more of a chance development by Dr. Paterson at the University of St. Andrews. At the first “Paterson’s Composite Golf Ball” performance in London in 1846, he did not arouse any interest
  • Fixing a round of golf at 18 holes in 1858
  • 1860 the first British Open (Open Championship) in Prestwick over 3 x 12 holes – the oldest tournament still played today
  • In 1864 Old Tom Morris is appointed professional and greenkeeper in St.Andrews. His son Young Tom Morris succeeds in 1867 the first traditional Hole in One
  • The first golf club for women was founded in 1867 in St. Andrews
  • First golf course built in Adelaide, Australia, 1870
  • First golf course in the spa gardens of Bad Homburg 1889
  • The golf course was built in Bad Homburg in 1891
  • The hole diameter is fixed at 4 ¼ ” 1891
  • The Ladies Golf Union is founded in England and Margret Scot wins the first Ladies Amateur Championships in 1893
  • Foundation of the US Golf Association (Amateur Golf Association)1894
  • The first German golf clubs are founded in 1895, Berlin-Westend and Bremen become Vahr 1895
  • First US Open took place in 1895 in Newport, winner is Horace Rowlins, over 36 holes
  • Foundation of the golf club in Bad Homburg 1899
  • Golf is an Olympic event for the first time in 1900
  • 1902 grooves appear on the racket sheet
  • Introduction of the golf ball with a solid core and wrapped elastic band, the “Haskell” 1903
  • 1905 the dimples come on the golf ball
  • Foundation of the German Golf Association e.V. in Hamburg, President J.V. Wenzel 1907.

Founding clubs:

GC Bremen to the Vahr
GC Berlin
Hamburg golf club
GC Kitzeberg
GC Leipzig Gaschwitz
GC Wentdorf Reinbek
GC Baden Baden

  • First German Open 1911 in Baden Baden, winner Harry Vardon, score 279
  • The golf ball with compression is introduced in 1912
  • First international amateur championships, winner Elliot Ruffer, 1913
  • Foundation of the US Professional Golfers Association in 1916.
  • First US PGA Championship 1916, winner James M. Marnes, in Siwanoy Lochs
  • Invention of the golf tee by Dr Wilhelm Lowell 1920
  • Unification of ball size and weight, 1.62 oz and 1.62 inches, in year1921
  • The USA win the first Walker Cup on Long Island, New York, 1922
  • The steel shaft is approved by the USGA 1926
  • The USA win the first official Ryder Cup in Worcester, Massachusetts, 1927
  • The “Deutscher Golflehrer-Verband e.V.” (today the PGA of Germany) is founded for the first time in 1927
  • Steel shafts are permitted everywhere again from 1929 and finally replace the hickory shafts
  • Bobby Jones wins the “old” Grand Slam in 1930: British Open, US Open, US Amateur and British Amateur
  • 1931 Determination of ball size and weight, 1.55 oz and 1.68 inches
  • Gordon Stableford invents the Stableford rating in 1932
  • First US Masters 1934, winner Horton Smith (score 284)
  • Foundation of the European Golf Association in 1937 in Luxembourg
  • The Royal & Ancient Golf Club set the maximum of 14 clubs in 1937
  • Byron Nelson wins 18 tournaments in 1945, eleven in series
  • 1947 due to the re-foundation of the German Golf Teachers Association and the German Golf Association
  • Foundation of the Ladies Professional Golfers Association in the USA in 1950.
  • Royal & Ancient GC and US Golf Association agree on the golf rules in 1951
  • Foundation of the Asia Golf Confederation in 1963
  • In 1963 the Rubber grip (previously leather) and cast iron (previously forged) make their debut, followed in 1969 by the graphite shaft and cavity back iron
  • The first extra-terrestrial golf shot took place in February 1971, when Alan Shepard, commander of Apollo 14, played two balls with a specially made iron on the surface of the moon. The first stroke, although hit with only one hand, favoured by the low gravity, is said to have flown almost 200 yards
  • Lee Trevino wins the British Open, US Open and Canadian Open 1971
  • The 1.68 inches ball becomes obligatory for professionals for the first time at the British Open in 1974
  • The Tournament Players Dinision of the Britsh PGA is established in 1975
  • Foundation of the Women`s Professional Golfers Association 1979
  • The first metal driver heads come out in 1979 and replace the wood from Persimmon
  • First German to win the German Open, Bernhard Langer 1981 in Hamburg
  • 1981 Bernhard Langer, 1st Order of Merit of the PGA European Tour
  • 1984 Bernhard Langer, 1st Order of Merit of the PGA European Tour
  • 1985 Bernhard Langer wins the US Masters
  • Introduction of the Congus specification system in Germany in 1986
  • At the 1986 Lancome Trophy there are two winners, Bernhard Langer and Severiano, after the tournament was cancelled due to darkness Ballesteros
  • The European Ryder Cup Team wins in the USA for the first time in 1987
  • 1988 the foundation of the Professional Golf Pool
  • In 1989 the WPGA changed its name to the Women’s Proffessional Golfers European Tour
  • 1990 then the worldwide official standardization of the ball size, 42.67 mm and weight 45.93 grams, take-off speed 76.27 m/sec. 1990
  • Bernhard Langer and Torsten Giedeon win the 1990 World Cup in Orlando, Florida
  • 1990 the foundation of the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) of Europe
  • Titanium was introduced to the American market in 1994 as a material for woods and subsequently