golf-msg - 7/16/98

Medieval golf. History of golf.

NOTE: See also the files: Scotland-msg, sports-msg, games-msg, taverns-msg, 
Ireland-msg.

************************************************************************
NOTICE -

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I  have 
collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date 
back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These 
files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I  have done  a limited amount  of  editing. Messages having to do  with 
separate topics  were sometimes split into different files and sometimes 
extraneous information was removed. For instance, the  message IDs  were removed 
to save space and remove clutter.

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make  
no claims  as  to the accuracy  of  the information  given  by the individual 
authors.

Please  respect the time  and  efforts of  those who have written  these 
messages. The  copyright status  of these messages  is  unclear  at this time. 
If  information  is  published  from  these  messages, please give credit to the 
originator(s).

Thank you,
    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
************************************************************************

The following is excerpted from a timeline of Golf History I found on a website. 
- editor.
------------
1353
The first recorded reference to chole, the probable antecedent of golf. It
is a derivative of hockey played in Flanders (Belgium).

1421
A Scottish regiment aiding the French against the English at the Siege of
Bauge is introduced to the game of chole. Hugh Kennedy, Robert Stewart and
John Smale, three of the identified players, are credited with introducing
the game in Scotland.

1457
Golf, along with football, is banned by the Scots Parliament of James II
because it has interfered with military training for the wars against the
English.

1470
The ban on golf is reaffirmed by the Parliament of James III.

1491
The golf ban is affirmed again by Parliament, this time under King James IV.

1502
With the signing of the Treaty of Glasgow between England and Scotland, the
ban on golf is lifted.

James IV makes the first recorded purchase of golf equipment, a set of clubs
from a bow-maker in Perth, Scotland.

1513
Queen Catherine of England, in a letter to Cardinal Wolsey, refers to the
growing popularity of golf in England.

1527
The first commoner recorded as a golfer is Sir Robert Maule, described as
playing on Barry Links (near the modern-day Carnoustie).

1552
The first recorded evidence of golf at St. Andrews.

1553
The Archbishop of St. Andrews issues a decree giving the local populace the
right to play golf on the links at St. Andrews.

1567
Mary, Queen of Scots, seen playing golf shortly after the death of her
husband Lord Darnley, is the first known female golfer.

1589
Golf is banned in the Blackfriars Yard, Glasgow. This is the earliest
reference to golf in the west of Scotland.

1592
The City of Edinburgh bans golfing at Leith on 1592
[on] Sunday "in tyme of sermonis."

1618
Invention of the feathery ball.

1618
King James VI and I confirms the right of the populace to play golf on
Sundays.

<rest of article snipped>

       Copyright 1995, InterZine Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.
---------


From: "Glen Marshall" <glenmarshall at worldnet.att.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Period Golf ?
Date: 8 Mar 1997 22:28:05 GMT

Carl W. Lemke <clemke at whc.net> wrote 
> Has anyone done any research on period golf, or know of any good
> reference works.  Golf was certainly a 16th century activity. It has
> occurred to me that some of us might make period clubs and set up a
> course and play by period rules at an event.  Don't anyone tell my
> lady about this!!

Yes.  Check-out references to the Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh.  This is
a park that is the remains of an ancient golf course - some say the oldest
in Scotland and, possibly, elsewhere.  It is maintained as a small (3-hole,
I think) course, with grass at the height that sheep would graze it to. 
The equipment was a leather ball stffed with bird feathers and one club
that is not unlike today's woods.  The object was to hit a series of
flagpoles, much like the flags in the holes today.  You can still play this
ancient form at Bruntsfield Links.  And there is the Old Golf tavern next
to the links, dating from 1495.  Personally, I don't play golf but I *did*
get drunk at the tavern back in 1980.


From: "AJ" <aj at lothene.demon.co.uk>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Period Golf ?
Date: Sun, 09 Mar 1997 12:45:13 GMT

Glen Marshall <glenmarshall at worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> Carl W. Lemke <clemke at whc.net> wrote 
> > Has anyone done any research on period golf, or know of any good
> > reference works.  Golf was certainly a 16th century activity. It has
> > occurred to me that some of us might make period clubs and set up a
> > course and play by period rules at an event.  Don't anyone tell my
> > lady about this!!
> 
> Yes.  Check-out references to the Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh.  This is
> a park that is the remains of an ancient golf course - some say the oldest
> in Scotland and, possibly, elsewhere.  It is maintained as a small (3-hole,
> I think) course, with grass at the height that sheep would graze it to. 
> The equipment was a leather ball stffed with bird feathers and one club
> that is not unlike today's woods.  The object was to hit a series of
> flagpoles, much like the flags in the holes today.  You can still play this
> ancient form at Bruntsfield Links.  And there is the Old Golf tavern next
> to the links, dating from 1495.

Hi there. I am writing this in Edinburgh just before going out to our
weekly Fighter Practise on Bruntsfield Links. The course there is a "Pitch
& Putt" or very short hole course, with no bunkers. The total area of it is
probably about 200 by 200 yards. It has got many more than 3 holes, though.
I've never actually counted. The grass is mown short as on a normal golf
course, but with the usual style of greens. (I'm not a golfer myself, I
just know the place well.)  It's part of a public park on the south side of
the city which was originally just outside the city walls. The low-lying
part was originally marsh, now drained, which ran up to the wall &
protected it on that side. It is still a byelaw that it is forbidden to
cross the park in a boat after dark, allegedly! Originally the only reason
to do this would have been to sneak in or out of the city. The other
interesting historical aspect of the area is the large number of
depressions which I have been told are old Plague Pits, where the bodies
were disposed of. We keep our Tetanus shots up to date...
I saw an article in a local newspaper a few years ago in a series on "The
History of Your Neighbourhood" which said that the Scottish army was
mustered on Bruntsfield Links before marching south to their eventual
defeat at Flodden. There are apparently letters from the Army Commanders
complaining of their difficulty in getting the troops to drill because they
were all off playng Golf! Let this be a warning to anyone planning on
setting up a golf course at a war!
The Old Golfe Tavern is a very good Pub, with decent real ales. I have
frequently imbibed there.
Hope this was interesting to someone. Other pub recommendations availiable
to anyone planning to visit!
-- 
AJ
aj at lothene.demon.co.uk
Alastair Saunders


Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: shafer at spdcc.com (Mary Shafer)
Subject: Re: Period Golf ?
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 18:03:06 GMT

In article <01bc2c0f$d8a11c20$4b9174cf at marshall_glen12.shrmed.com>,
Glen Marshall <glenmarshall at worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>Carl W. Lemke <clemke at whc.net> wrote 
>> Has anyone done any research on period golf, or know of any good
>> reference works.  Golf was certainly a 16th century activity. It has
>> occurred to me that some of us might make period clubs and set up a
>> course and play by period rules at an event.  Don't anyone tell my
>> lady about this!!
>
>Yes.  Check-out references to the Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh.  This is
>a park that is the remains of an ancient golf course - some say the oldest
>in Scotland and, possibly, elsewhere.  It is maintained as a small (3-hole,
>I think) course, with grass at the height that sheep would graze it to. 
>The equipment was a leather ball stffed with bird feathers and one club
>that is not unlike today's woods.  The object was to hit a series of
>flagpoles, much like the flags in the holes today.  You can still play this
>ancient form at Bruntsfield Links.  And there is the Old Golf tavern next
>to the links, dating from 1495.  Personally, I don't play golf but I *did*
>get drunk at the tavern back in 1980.

"Featheries", the feather-stuffed balls, were not the original, period
ball that the Dutch brought to Britain.  The original balls were made
of elm.  I think featheries are post period, but golf, with elm balls,
isn't.  The clubs were carved from a single piece of wood.

I'll rummage around and see if I can come up with some real dates
here. 

By the way, golf courses are much easier to understand if you realize
that the originals were waste ground near the sea, in Scotland being
glacial morraines.  Hence the ponds (water hazards) and exposed
pockets of sand and gravel (sand traps) all around, the small areas of
fertile ground kept trimmed right down by sheep (the greens), the waste
ground covered with inedible plants (the roughs) and more edible but
not preferred plants (the fairways), sometimes cut for hay.
-- 
Mary Shafer  DoD #0362 KotFR  shafer at ursa-major.spdcc.com
URL http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/People/Shafer/mary.html


From: herveus at access4.digex.net (Michael and MJ Houghton)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Period Golf ?
Date: 11 Mar 1997 08:36:26 -0500

Carl W. Lemke <clemke at whc.net> wrote:
>Has anyone done any research on period golf, or know of any good
>reference works.  Golf was certainly a 16th century activity. It has
>occurred to me that some of us might make period clubs and set up a
>course and play by period rules at an event.  Don't anyone tell my
>lady about this!!
>
>Walthari
>Carl W. Lemke

Torquil MacTaggart the Steadfast (Atlantia) has done some research into
period golf. He taught a class on it at University of Atlantia a couple
of years ago, and registered the first piece of armory with golf clubs 
on it. I don't know if he reads this newsgroup, or even if he is online.

Herveus


Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: shafer at spdcc.com (Mary Shafer)
Subject: Re: Period Golf ?
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 19:50:28 GMT

Mary Shafer <shafer at spdcc.com> wrote:
>"Featheries", the feather-stuffed balls, were not the original, period
>ball that the Dutch brought to Britain.  The original balls were made
>of elm.  I think featheries are post period, but golf, with elm balls,
>isn't.  The clubs were carved from a single piece of wood.
>
>I'll rummage around and see if I can come up with some real dates
>here. 

OK, here's some more definite information.  Featheries, made from
bull's hide that had been soaked in alum and stuffed with goose
feathers that had been boiled to soften them, started being used in
the 17th or early 18th century.  Before that, elm balls, which were
being imported from the Netherlands by the 16th century, were used.
The feathery could go about twice as far as a wooden ball, which would
rarely cover more than 100 yards when struck.  Featheries cost at
least ten times what elm balls did; a skilled craftsman could only
make four a day.  The feathery was replaced by the gutta percha ball
beginning in 1848.

Golf has been played in St. Andrews "far back into the mists of the
12th century".

The oldest club known to be in existance is a wooden play-club made by
Samuel Cosser in 1760.  This club is in the collection of the Royal &
Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews.
-- 
Mary Shafer  DoD #0362 KotFR  shafer at ursa-major.spdcc.com
URL http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/People/Shafer/mary.html

<the end>
Edited by Mark S. Harris	golf-msg	6