Category: Sports & Recreation, National Library of Scotland

Golf in Scotland: A swing through time

The origins of golf are a matter of mystery and controversy.

Shown here are some of the earliest sources for the history of golf in Scotland. They shed light on the birth of the game, its language, techniques and equipment.
Social side of golf

They also tell us much about the social standing of golf as it developed from an outlawed activity to the world's most internationally important game.
World's first golf club

Documents and texts from the National Library of Scotland's collections and other sources give an insight into the early days of the game.