Golf Trivia & Quizes
From Bill Kroen
He called it "a good walk spoiled."
Why is golf so named?
The word "golf" comes from the German word kolbe, which means club. The name has been used for many games played with clubs (the Dutch game kolven, for example) A debate about the origin of golf has been ongoing: Did it begin with the Flemish game of chole, the French jeu de mail, or the Roman game of Paganica (the game of countrymen)? No one knows. The Scots, however, were the first the okay the game of golf as it is played today. The first recorded reference to golf came in an Act of Scottish Pasliament in 1457 that forbade golf and “futeball” because Scotland was at war with England, and the government didn’t want young men neglecting military training.
Why are sand traps called “bunkers”?
“Bunker” comes from the Scottish bonker, meaning a chest or box where coal is kept, usually dug into the side of a hill. Often, cows sould graze in the marshlands adjacent to the old links courses, standing alongside the dunes and creating a depression that reminded Scottish players of these chests, and eventually these areas became known as bunkers.
Why is the word “bogey” used to describe a score of one over par?
The term comes from an imaginary Colonel Bogey of the Great Yarmouth Club in England. It is believed that a Major Charles Wellman, while playing against ground score (par), referred to failing to get a par as “getting caught by the bogey man,” a phrase from the popular eighteenth-century time. The members of the club began referring to an imaginary new member, Colonel Bogey, who would always shoot even par. As the game spread to the United State, “bogey” was narrowed to represent a score of one over par.
Why is the word “birdie” used for a score of one under par on a hole?
According to Golf Magazine’s Encyclopedia of Golf, “birdie” was coined in the United States. In 1903 a certain A. H. Smith of Atlantic City is said to have remarked after holing out, “That’s a bird of a shot!” The words “eagle” and “double eagle” are outgrowths of the bird reference.
Why are the spectators at a golf tournament called a “gallery”?
In British theaters the large balcony containing the cheaper seats is called a gallery. Over the years the term has come to signify the public in general.
Why is the Masters considered one of the Grand Slam tournaments?
The Masters is the only privately run tournament of the big four considered to the Grand Slam of golf. The U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the British Open are all run and sanctioned by national golf institutions. The Masters has attained its prestigious place in golf history and lore with a great course, excellent ambience, exclusiveness, tradition and careful promotion. Bobby Jones started the Masters in 1934 as a starting tournament for the pro tour as the pros headed north after the winter season in Florida.
Why are some tournaments called “opens”?
“Open” means that the tournament is open to both amateurs and professionals.
Why and how is par assigned to a hole?
Par is the score that an expert golfer should make on that particular hole; it is set in order to have a standard against which to measure score and determine handicaps. Par is generally based on the length of the hole, but allowances are made for level of difficulty caused by terrain features. The USGA’s guidelines for par according to distance are:
Par Men Women
3 up to 250 up to 210
4 251 to 470 211 to 400
5 over 470 401 to 575
Why is four the accepted number of golfers for one group?
In its earliest form, golf was strictly match play in format, and four is the smallest number of players for team matches. As a result, competition between clubs in England and America in the nineteenth century was always in the foursome grouping. Even as the format changed, however, numbers greater than four were generally frowned upon because they slowed down the game and caused confusion around the green.
Why is it considered bad form to walk across someone’s line before he or she putts?
There are two main reasons why this breach of etiquette is considered serious. Firstly, by walking on someone’s line, you may leave an indentation that could affect the roll of the putt. Secondly, the intrusion across a player’s line may cause a break in the player’s concentration.
In the early days of golf, why were feathers used as stuffing for golf balls?
The old “featheries” were surprisingly alive. A large amount of chicken feathers were boiled and then stuffed firmly into a leather cover. When the feathers dried and expanded they stretched the leather so it became quite resilient. The ball actually went a good distance, with drives of over 300 yards recorded, but the ball was phased out about 1850.
Why is a game of golf referred to as a “round”?
In the early days of golf, all courses were constructed in a circular fashion. The first hole was near the clubhouse, and the other holes would circle through the countryside, coming back to the starting point on the eighteenth hole.
Why is the word “divot” used to describe a piece of earth dislodged by a club stroke?
“Divot” is a Scottish word for a piece of turf.
Why is the tradition of “having the honor”- allowing the player who scored the lowest on the previous hole to tee off first- used, and what, if any, advantage does it bestow?
Having the honor is part of the rules, establishing a uniform system of order for playing first off the tee. To hit first can be a distinct advantage, as a good shot may put pressure on an opponent.
Why is the overlapping grip sometimes called the “Vardon”?
Harry Vardon, who won the British Open six times and the U.S. Open once, was a great promoter and golfer at the turn of the century. He was often photographed ising the overlap grip. He is not, however, considered to be the inventor of the grip, as several well-known players, including Leslie Balfour Melville and J.H. Taylor, had used the grip successfully before Vardon reached fame as a golfer.
Why is the higher side of a cup on an incline called “the pro side”?
A good player will read the break of a putt correctly, allowing enough break and putting to the higher side. The lower side of the hole is sometimes called “the sucker’s side” because the poor golfer will not read the break correctly.
Why are golf courses sometimes called “links”?
According to Webster Evans’s Encyclopedia of Golf, the word is derived from the Old English hlinc, meaning ridge of land. Links land is gently undulating land, often running along the seashore. In the strict sense of the term, a links golf course should be one that borders the sea.
Why is “Nassau” used to describe a match played on both nines and an overall eighteen?
A Nassau bet sets up three separate matches: the front nine, the back nine, and the entire eighteen holes. When a player or side goes down by two holes, a “press” can be made. A press doubles the amount of the bet and creates a new match for the number of holes remaining. This popular form of match comes from a betting practice that was very popular in the Caribbean Islands. The practice spread to the United States.
Why is the term “dormie” used when someone is ahead by the same number of holes left in the match?
“Dormie” probably came from the Latin dormire “to sleep.” “The player who is ahead cannot lose though he go to sleep.”
Why is the word “putt” used in golf?
Putt comes from the word “put.” Once on the green, the object of that particular stroke is to “put” the ball into the hole.
Why is the Ryder Cup match so named?
The Ryder Cup matches are played between American PGA professionals and European pros every two years. An unofficial match between the U.S. and England played in Surrey, England, in 1926 prompted the tradition; the match was very popular and a wealthy seed merchant named Samuel Ryder presented a gold cup at the first official match at Worcester Massachusetts, in 1927, with the American team winning.
Why is the term “bye” used when a player does not have an opponent in a match?
The term “bye” probably started as a farewell to someone who had lost a match 10 and 8 in an eighteen-hole match. Not having to play the remaining holes, an opponent in this situation also had a “bye”, and gradually the term was extended to anyone who did not have to play a match.
Why does “fairway” describe the close-cut part of a course?
The Rules of Golf do not specifically define the word “fairway” but generally refer to it as “through the green.” In early referenced to the game, the playing area was often called the “fair green.” As time went on, the term “fairway,” as opposed to the “rough”, became most common.
Why is the term “mulligan” used for the granting of a second chance at a drive on the first hole?
The origin of “mulligan’ is not clear, but it may be rhyming slang for “have it again”.
Why is a very poor round of golf sometimes referred to as “military golf”?
A hacker having an extremely wild day off the tee calls to mind a drill sergeant’s cadence call: “Left-right-left-right!”
Why is a “skins” competition so named?
In a “skins” game players compete on each hole, the player with the lowest score winning a “skin”. The term goes back to the days when a hunter would display his success by the number of pelts or skins he had upon returning from the hunt.
