If the pebble when last struck fell into a rabbit hole, then the game of golf would certainly have been "invented" and the forerunner of the 19th hole along with it. As to where the game was first played in Scotland, there can only be conjecture.
Full Answer
Do you know the history of Scottish golf clubs?
The first silver golf club, donated by the City of Edinburgh for the Leith Golfers' completion in 1744, carried the City crest and the date. Ten years later the silver club used for the first St Andrew's competition also has a Scottish themed mark. So it looks as if imprinting designs on golf clubs was not unusual.
Where did the game of golf originate?
Golf originated from a game played on the eastern coast of Scotland, in an area close to the royal capital of Edinburgh. In those early days players would attempt to hit a pebble over sand dunes and around tracks using a bent stick or club. During the 15th century, Scotland prepared to defend itself, yet again,...
Who was the first person to make golf clubs?
James McEwan - the first golf club maker's logo James McEwan is the first golf-club maker for whom there are any known extant golf clubs. One of the reasons why we know they are his clubs is because he was the first club-maker to stamp a 'cleek mark' on his wooden clubs to identify them.
How did the first golf-club maker's trademark logo come to be?
The curious story of how the first golf-club maker's trademark logo was created. James McEwan is the first golf-club maker for whom there are any known extant golf clubs. One of the reasons why we know they are his clubs is because he was the first club-maker to stamp a 'cleek mark' on his wooden clubs to identify them.
Early life
Simpson was born in Elie, Scotland, in 1862. A club maker by trade, he apprenticed at age 16 in Elie under the direction of George Forrester whose club making business was located near the golf course in Elie. Simpson later worked under master club maker Robert Forgan in St. Andrews.
Golf career
Simpson was the co-designer, along with his brother Archie, of the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club course. He also assisted Old Tom Morris in a re-design of the links at Carnoustie.
Death and legacy
Simpson died in 1923 in Carnoustie, Scotland. He was renowned for his fine hand-made "bulger" woods.
Personal life
Simpson was elected to Carnoustie Town Council in 1909, serving in a variety of positions until his death.
What were golf clubs made of?
At this time golfers were using hand-crafted wooden clubs usually made from beech with shafts of ash or hazel, and balls were made from compressed feathers wrapped in a stitched horse hide. During the 19th century as the might of the British Empire expanded to encompass the globe, so golf followed closely behind.
What are the rules for playing golf with water?
Rules that even now sound so familiar to many; …’If your ball comes among water, or any watery filth, you are at liberty to take out your ball and bringing it behind the hazard and teeing it, you may play it with any club and allow your adversary a stroke for so getting out your ball. ’.
What was the Industrial Revolution?
The Industrial Revolution of the Victorian era brought with it many changes. The birth of the railways allowed ordinary people to explore outside of their towns and cities for the first time, and as a consequence golf clubs began to appear all over the countryside.
When was golf invented?
The game of golf officially became a sport when the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith formed the first club in 1744 and set up an annual competition with silverware prizes. The rules for this new competition were drafted by Duncan Forbes. Rules that even now sound so familiar to many;
When was the first 18 hole golf course built?
The first ever 18-hole course was constructed at St Andrews in 1764, establishing the now recognised standard for the game. King William IV honoured the club with the title ‘Royal & Ancient’ in 1834, with that recognition and its fine course the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews was established as the world’s premier golf club.
Where are the most famous golf courses in the world?
Some of the most famous golf courses in the world are still to be found in Scotland: their names evoke the passion and tradition of the game of golf. Gleneagles, The Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Royal Troon, Prestwick, to name but a few…. Read about the origins and history of the game of Polo.
Where did golf originate?
Golf originated from a game played on the eastern coast of Scotland, in an area close to the royal capital of Edinburgh. In those early days players would attempt to hit a pebble over sand dunes and around tracks using a bent stick or club. During the 15th century, Scotland prepared to defend itself, yet again, ...
Why did James McEwan put his name on his clubs?
New evidence suggests that the reason probably stems from events that took place at Bruntsfield Links between 1774 and 1782, during James McEwan's early years as a club-maker. James McEwan was not the first or only club-maker at Bruntsfield.
Why was Andrew Donaldson reprimanded?
Shortly after the complaints about his bows, Andrew Donaldson was reprimanded for failing to fulfil his other duties as 'Company official' , such as giving notice of meetings to the archer members.
What is the oldest golf club logo?
All golf-club makers have copied him since then down to the present day. The world’s oldest continually-used commercial logo is that of Twining's tea, created in 1787.
Where did James McEwan come from?
It is commonly held that James McEwan came to Bruntsfield from Stirling in 1770. Certainly, he was in Edinburgh by 1775, when he was admitted as a Burgess. Apart from this record, there is no contemporary information of his existence. James McEwan does not appear in any directory as a golf-club maker, when other club-makers do.
When was James McEwan dismissed as a company official?
Comb was still actively trading at Bruntsfield when James McEwan arrived, but Comb was dismissed as 'Company official' and bow-maker by the Royal Company in 1778, when questions were raised about the quality of his bow-making services.
What is the oldest club in the world?
Stamping a design on wooden golf clubs was nothing new during the 18th century. The oldest extant clubs in the world are the 'Troon' clubs, which can be seen at the British Golf Museum. They have a logo stamped on them with a crown, the initials 'J' and 'C', a mullet (heraldic star) and a thistle inside a diamond shape.
Is James McEwan a golf club maker?
James McEwan does not appear in any directory as a golf-club maker, when other club-makers do . Until recently, the early McEwan history has been based solely on a later family account of events, published in 1896. The McEwan family were the most important golf-club making dynasty of the 19th century. They operated exclusively from Bruntsfield ...
