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1400
Creation of Golf
Originated in Scotland. Golf is a sport where the player has the aim of hitting a ball in a hole. -
1500
Golf Clubs Begin Taking Shape
he first clubs originated during this time. Drivers, grassed drivers, irons, wedges and milled putters. -
Golf Balls
First golf ball was created. It was called the Featherie golf ball. It contained three pieces of leather. Most players used wooden clubs to keep from damaging the ball because it was expensive. However, wooden clubs were not as accurate or controllable as iron clubs were. -
First Clubs, First Rules
The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, first official club, formed 1744 when the men who played over Leith Links convinced the city of Edinburgh to back a competition aimed at identifying the game’s best player. To govern their event, the Company drew up the game’s first list of rules, 13 simple regulations covering everything from where to tee off to playing the ball as it lies. These rules would gain widespread acceptance after being adopted 10 years later by the golfers of St. Andrews. -
From 22 Holes to 18
Originally players started astride the first hole and hit “out” to the second; from that one to the next; 11 times until reaching the last hole. At which point they turned around and played back “in,” another 11 holes for a total of 22. In October 1764, The Society decided that “it would be for the improvement of the links that the four first holes should be converted into two.” The 12 holes in the ground became 10, equaling 9 holes of play each way for a total of 18. A standard was born. -
Shift to Irons
The transition from wooden clubs to iron clubs marked a significant leap forward. Iron clubs offered greater precision and control, revolutionizing the game. -
First Instruction Book
The Golfer’s Manual: Being an Historical and Descriptive Account of the National Game of Scotland, by “A Keen Hand” (pseudonym for H.B. Fannie). -
Steel Shafts
Steel Shafts were revolutionary in the construction of the modern golf club. The advantage to a steel shaft was increased accuracy and durability. However, they required a completely different swing technique than the slow and smooth swing of the wooden clubs. Instead, it required a precise and controlled body swing. -
Invention of Sand Wedges
The early sand wedge design was invented by Gene Sarazon, and is still used today. Sand wedges are used to help the golfer get the ball out of a sand trap. These wedges fit in-between the irons and the putter. -
Lightening the Load
The 14-Club Rule limits how many clubs can be used in a round to 14. The number of clubs had never been defined, and with the advent of steel shafts in the mid-1920s, players began carrying implements for any and all situations: Lawson Little won the 1934 U.S. and British Amateurs with 26 clubs in his bag and golfers were known to carry full sets of both left- and right-handed clubs at the same time, just in case. -
Introduction of Synthetic Balls
The truly modern golf ball wasn't born until the 1960's when the wizards began to be replace rubber with new, cheaper synthetic materials, and wound and liquid cores with solids. -
Graphite Shafts Introduced
Graphite shafts introduced. This was easier to manufacture, and more affordable for you average golfer. They were also lightweight and, theoretically, stronger. -
Woods Made of Metal
Making “woods” out of metal wasn’t a new idea, with attempts as far back as the 1890s. But they didn’t catch the public’s fancy until the 1980s. Leading the charge was Gary Adams, who started making drivers with stainless-steel heads in 1978; the next year, he launched TaylorMade Golf. Ron Streck was the first pro to win a tournament using a metal wood, the 1981 Michelob-Houston Open. Callaway introduced the Big Bertha driver in 1991. Today, metal accounts for more than 99 percent of wood sales. -
Hybrid Golf Clubs
These are golf clubs that as the name says forges the look of a wood and the impact of an iron. This helps the average golfer achieve maximum contact and distance with the club. They are also more forgiving than your longer irons. -
Club Fitting
Club Fitting has helped create the perfect club for the golfer. Club fitters can help to find the clubs using computer analysis by measuring specs of ball flight, club speed and launch angle. Both pros and club golfers both use club fitting to help improve their game. -
Invention of the Rangefinder
Bushnell created two rangefinders that would revolutionise the golf game. These were a GPS and a Laser rangefinder. These help determine certain distances to targets. -
Golf Balls for all Levels of Play
One-piece golf balls are generally used by beginners, while a majority of golfers opt for the two-piece ball. As golfers improve their game, they are more likely to use golf balls with more layers. The top pro golfers have the kind of sophistication to take advantage of a five-piece ball. Also the more pieces the ball has the more spin the ball is likely to produce.