Golf Courses in the UK

Long before the Internet came about, with all the many different golf instructional articles available online, a guide to the finer arts of playing golf already existed in the form of “The Golfer’s Manual”, which was published in 1857 by H.B. Farnie, who wrote the guide under the name of “A Keen Hand”. Interestingly enough, as early as this guide was published, it was released well over 100 years after the Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh played the first official rounds of golf.

That being said, it was actually the formation of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers–and subsequently the Royal and Ancient at St. Andrews–that truly paved the way for the rapid development of the sport into one that is played by countless people all over the world and is watched by millions of viewers in both live sporting events and on television.

Even before this time, golf was already played in what would later be known as the oldest existing golf course in the world, the Musselburgh Links. It was there that golf was played as early as 1672, although some historical accounts claim that Mary, Queen of Scots played the game there long before that in 1567.

The Musselburgh Links was originally comprised of seven holes, with another hole being added in 1838. By 1870, The Musselburgh Links had developed into a full nine-hole golf course. The first of these three holes were located to the east of the grandstand at the racecourse, which was formerly the location of the clubhouse of the Honourable Company. It was towards the right along the main traffic route where players sliced shots and made their way back to the links with the then-new brass clubs. It was there that metal plates began to be added to the ‘brassie’ wooden clubs in 1885, reportedly to help players make these shots more easily.

In any case, the game of golf then had a number of differences with the sport as we know it today. For one thing, the clubs that were used in those days were made from woods such as hazel, ash and beech, as opposed to the graphite and steel that is used in modern golf clubs. The balls were also made out of goose feathers that was wrapped in horse or cow hide.

Another noteworthy development in UK golf history was the formation of the Royal Blackheath Club in 1766, which was instrumental in the spread of the game to the then British colony of India. It was there that the Calcutta Club was formed in 1829. The club was also responsible for bringing the game to Australia, and paved the way for the formation of various golf organizations in Adelaide and Melbourne in the latter part of the 18th century.

The 19th was a particularly fertile period for golf in the United Kingdom, most notably for the establishment of what is widely considered to be the first of what is regarded as the modern day major golf tournaments, the British Open Championship. The event was held in Prestwick in 1860.

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Golf is one of the most popular pastimes in the UK and contrary to previous decades when golf was a sport exclusively practiced by seniors, today the sport attracts numerous people of all ages and that is why there has been a spike in interest in the game. There are many great golf courses in the UK and the best place to get the best course nearest to you is to search the Net. This is more convenient because it saves time and one can cover more ground than if it would be possible with just driving around. The UK happens to have some of the best golf courses in the entire EU. Let us examine why UK golf courses continue to attract droves of golfers sometimes from all over the world.
One of the reasons why UK Golf courses continue to be attractive to many golfers is because they are fun. Its that simple. This is because the golf course sits on level ground and the greens are very challenging making it the best for professional golfers and amateur golfers alike. There is off course the option to use a golf cart whenever necessary. So the fun level of UK golf courses is one of the great factors that make them one of the best anywhere.

Another reason why UK golf courses are popular is because they are very well maintained. Maintenance is one of the great factors that gives a golf course its feel and appeal and courses. We have all visited golf courses which have had tremendous potential but have been neglected and are not getting very good lawn care. Great golf courses are well maintained and this is a characteristic of UK golf courses. A well maintained golf course is well watered and well taken care of if it has artificial grass. The ground should feel spongy and the lawn look as natural as possible.

UK golf courses are also popular because they continue to offer great customer service. Golfers get very thirsty at times and a good golf course will have friendly services especially from the company that runs and maintains the lawns. This should be in the way of refreshments, snacks and other emergency care in case there is one.
Visitors to UK golf courses will also notice that they have excellent style and class. The grounds are very well maintained and designed by the best landscapists in the industry. Perhaps one of the best things that compliment UK golf courses is the fact that the English countryside is already beautiful as it is. There are many countries that boast great golf courses but these have to be designed sometimes in hostile land but in the UK, the countryside already provides the attractive green lush surroundings that offer excellent grounds to create wonderful golf courses.

As we discusses earlier, the best way to find the best UK golf courses is online. This is also because more courses are being constructed all the time.

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