A Brief History Of Golf

Welcome 2 A Brief History of Golf......
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History Golf is usually regarded as a Scottish invention, as the game was mentioned in two 15th century laws prohibiting the playing of the game of "gowf". Some scholars however suggest that this refers to another game which is much akin to modern field hockey . They point out that a game of putting a small ball in a hole in the ground using golf clubs was played in the 17th century Netherlands . The term golf is believed to have originated from a Germanic word for "club".
		Business In the United States , golf is the unofficial sport of the business world. It is often said, in fact, that board meetings merely confirm decisions that are actually made on the golf course. For this reason, the successful conduction of business golf (which extends beyond merely knowing the game) is considered a useful business skill; many business schools include a "business golf" course. Golf is not inherently an expensive activity; the game is regularly enjoyed by over 26 million Americans. In fact, most regions of the country feature public courses which strive to be affordable for the average golfer. But the perception of golf as a sport for the wealthy elite and country clubs as a haven for corrupt businessmen is common among many.
Golfing countries The professional game was initially dominated by British golfers, but since World War I , America has produced the greatest quantity of leading professionals. Other Commonwealth countries such as Australia and South Africa are also traditional powers in the sport. Since around the 1970s, Japan and various Western European countries have produced leading players on a regular basis. The number of countries with high class professionals continues to increase steadily, especially in Asia . South Korea is notably strong in women's golf.

Golf rules and other regulations The rules of golf are internationally standardised and are jointly governed by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA). By agreement with the R&A, USGA jurisdiction on the enforcement and interpretation of the rules is limited to the United States and Mexico . The rules continue to evolve; amended versions of the rule book are usually published and made effective in a four-year cycle. The underlying principle of the rules is fairness. As declared on the back cover of the official rule book: "play the ball as it lies", "play the course as you find it", and "if you can't do either, do what is fair". Some rules state that
every player is entitled and obliged to play the ball from from the position where it has come to rest after a stroke, unless a rule allows or demands otherwise (Rule 13-1) a player must not accept assistance in making a stroke (Rule 14-2) the condition of the ground or other parts of the course may not be altered to gain an advantage, except in some cases defined in the rules a ball may only be replaced by another if it is destroyed, lost, or unplayable, and a penalty is incurred in the latter cases
The Decisions on the Rules of Golf are based on formal case decisions by the R&A and USGA and are published regularly. The etiquette of golf, although not formally equivalent to the rules, are included in the publications on golf rules and are considered binding for every player. They cover matters such as safety, fairness, easiness and pace of play, and players' obligation to contribute to the care of the course. There are strict regulations regarding the amateur status of golfers . Essentially, everybody who has ever taught or played golf for money (or even accepted a trophy of more than a modest monetary value) is not considered an amateur and must not participate in amateur competitions..

Welcome 2 A Brief History of Golf......