At a recent alumni golf event, friends urged me to write a blog on golf. As adult beverages flowed at the nineteenth hole, some requests seemed to turn into veiled threats. Thus, as an act of self-preservation here are some random musings about golf.
History
The modern game of golf can be traced back to fifteenth century Scotland. It is often said that the game is called golf because all of the other four letter words were taken. In actuality the word evolved from the Dutch term for club: “kolve” or “kolf”. The Scots modified the pronunciation to “goff” and eventually “golf”
Golf was strictly a man’s game until Mary Queen of Scots took up the sport. The avid golfer introduced the game to France during a royal visit. She was guarded by French military aides known as cadets who also carried the clubs for golfers. Voila: the origin of “caddy”.
For a more amusing and concise explanation of how the Scots invented golf go to Robin William’s classic rant on the subject. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcnFbCCgTo4&t=202s
Hooks and Slices
The first golf handicap system was invented in 1893 by a woman: Issette Pearson.
Before 1899, there were no golf tees. Golfers were provided a box filled with wet sand so that players could build mounds from which to strike their ball. In 1899, Dr. George Grant, the second African American to earn a dental degree received a patent for the first tee.
Insurance companies that underwrite hole-in-one contests calculate the odds of a pro making a hole-in-one at 3,000 to 1. For amateurs, it’s 12,500 to 1.
While left-handers make up 10 to 12 percent of the overall population, only 5 to 7 percent of golfers play left-handed. However in Canada 30 percent of golfers play left-handed. That’s because nearly two thirds of Canadian hockey players shoot left-handed, making it an easy transition to swing a golf club from that side.
Despite his nickname, Phil “Lefty” Mickelson is right-handed. Aside from golf, Lefty does everything from the right side but chose to emulate his left-handed father’s swing.
Sam Snead became the youngest PGA Tour player to shoot his age when he recorded a 67 in 1979. Thomas Edison Smith, an amateur from Minnesota, shot his age an incredible 3,359 times. The oldest golfer to shoot his age was Arthur Thompson of Victoria, British Columbia who shot a 103 in 1972.
While Americans have a million to one chance of being struck by lightning. the odds for golfers are 250,000 to one. Still, statistics show that there is only one lightning related golfing fatality per year (fishing fatalities are much higher). The great Lee Trevino has been struck three times. He was hospitalized during the 1975 Western Open when rather than seeking protection in the clubhouse he stood under a tree with his umbrella open.
Nullarbor Links, located in Western Australia’s Golden Outback, is the world’s longest golf course. The 848 mile track opened in 2009. The course was built to provide travelers with breaks from driving the dreary highway and to promote area tourism. There is one hole in each participating town and the average distance between holes is 41 miles. Score cards can be purchased at either end of the route for A$70 plus an A$8 maintenance fee. Players provide their own clubs or rent them at each hole. If you plan on taking on these rugged outback fairways, be sure to watch out for hidden wombat holes and three species of deadly snakes. Also, beware that temperatures can reach 122°F.
If a round in Outback heat is not your idea of fun consider signing up for the annual World Ice Golf Championships which take place in Uummannaq, Greenland. Instead of greens, players putt on ice. Just beware that participating golfers often become afflicted with snow blindness.
Just Ask Hank
Golf is a difficult endeavor for even the world’s greatest athletes. Here is baseball immortal Henry Aaron’s summation: It took me seventeen years to get three thousand hits in baseball. It took one afternoon on the golf course.
Have a great weekend and hit em straight.
If you liked this blog you will enjoy my highly acclaimed book, ‘Get Smarter- Be Amazed”. Visit www.tedcurtinstories.com for direct links to Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
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