Golf is associated with old men and boredom. Some even go so far as to say that golf is not a real sport. That is because it does not involve jerseys or a square field. It is seen more as an interrupted walk. They do not realize that golfers are also athletes. They have their own equipment and play on a course. During a game, you can easily walk between 3 and 6 miles. It is a complete exercise. For many people, it is relaxing and a break from everyday life. The same is true for playing at https://www.betchan.com/en-NZ.
Golf is also very popular, especially in the United States. More and more of the younger generation are opting for this sport. There are different courses for beginners and advanced players. Golf is gaining more and more attention, which will most likely increase in the coming years.
But where does this sport come from?
Modern golf is actually a very old sport. It is traced back to the 15th century. The first records were found in Scotland. A funny story is that the first mention is its ban in 1457 by James II. Simply on the grounds that people should learn archery. It was especially important to have a good military as Scotland was at war with its neighbor.
Forty-five years later, the ban was lifted by James II through his late successor, James IV, who was a talented golfer himself. He even invented golf clubs.
The oldest course is in Musselburgh Links in East Lothian, Scotland. On March 2, 1672, golf was played there for the first time, according to Guinness World Records.
The rules can be traced back to 1744. They were established by the Company of Gentlemen Golfers. At that time a club of the high society.
The first tournament was the Open Championship, held in 1860 in Ayrshire, Scotland.
So the history of golf is closely linked to Scotland.
The Market Behind It
Although it originated in Scotland, the largest market in America. Followed by Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Canada. So you can see that the focus is on the English-speaking world.
The global market size is estimated to be around $3.66 billion in 2019. In 2015, 2.5 million people started playing golf. This is an increase of 14% compared to the previous year. This number will most likely grow steadily.
Famous Golfers Over Time
Some golfers became very popular because of their success. You now see them on television or advertising products. This is also true for other athletes from other sports. Even if you do not know much about golf or how to play it, you have probably heard of the names. Starting with Tiger Woods or Greg Norman, who was number 1 in the official world rankings for 331 weeks. Other names that may sound familiar are Billy Casper or Ernie Els. The former won the U.S. Open in 1966, the latter won 19 PGA Tours.
But there are many more.
