However, the Scots are generally adamant that the game of golf was a Scottish invention on St. Andrews golf course. The name golf is a derivative of the Dutch word kolf however, so as for who really invented the game, we say who really cares!

It really doesnt matter who actually invented the game, but what does matter is how the history of golf has evolved over the years. Golf courses have not always had eighteen holes. St. Andrews began with eleven holes dictated by the topography of the land the course was located on. Players would play the eleven holes out and then back in to total 22 holes. Later, several of the holes were deemed too short and were combined with each other. That reduced the number from 11 down to 9 so a complete round of golf was comprised of 18 holes.

By 1744, the game of golf had become wildly popular. So much so that a group of men called Gentlemen Golfers decided that a set of rules must be laid out for fair play. They came up with a list of thirteen guidelines on playing the game.

Major changes since the 19th century have occurred in the equipment needed for play. Better mowers made greens easier to play on. Golf balls designs would evolve by using rubber and man-made materials which made the ball fly longer on a drive. The wooden golf tee would make the drive easier.

No discussion of golf history would be complete without talking about the advances made in golf clubs. Metal shafts came about in the 1930s and most drivers were made of wood which is why they are called woods today even though they are most commonly made these days of metal or titanium. The golf shaft design has also gravitated towards graphite which is lighter and makes the club easier to swing.

When referring to the history of golf, we can debate exactly where the game originated, but the game of golf as we know it today, most certainly came about in Scotland. Even if were wrong, we do still have this wonderful game and most of us are very glad about that!

The beautiful golf links in St. Andrews (acquired by the town in 1894) is the most frequent venue for The Open Championship, the oldest of golf’s four major championships. Visitors travel to St Andrews in great numbers for several courses ranked amongst the finest in the world, as well as for the sandy beaches.

The St Andrews Links occupy a narrow strip of land along the sea. As early as the 15th century, golfers at St. Andrews established a customary route through the undulating terrain, playing to holes whose locations were dictated by topography.

The course that emerged featured eleven holes, laid out end to end from the clubhouse to the far end of the property. One played the holes out, turned around, and played the holes in, for a total of 22 holes. In 1764, several of the holes were deemed too short, and were therefore combined. The number was thereby reduced from 11 to nine, so that a complete round of the links comprised 18 holes.

There are six golf courses in St. Andrews including The Old Course which is where the game was first played. The clubs are open to the public as are the courses, but be prepared to wait! The Old Course has over 40,000 rounds of golf played on it every year. In fact, as of this writing, the official St. Andrews website reports that tee times for April through October of 2007 are completely booked.

You may have the best luck on one of the other courses, but you will need to make reservations well in advance. St. Andrews allow you to book tee times online, so check out their website and make a reservation as soon as you know when youll be there.

Be prepared to pay to play St. Andrews, however. Greens fees during the prime season between April and October are $235 for an adult on the Old Course. Of course, the other courses are slightly cheaper and youll save some money in the off-season as well.

There are plenty of places to stay when you want to golf at St. Andrews. There are over 500 hotels and numerous dining places nearby. There is easy access from local airstrips, so you wont have much problem actually getting to the links on your scheduled day to play. In the meantime, youll enjoy some of the most beautiful countryside in the world complete with old castles and historical sites!

You can visit the official St. Andrews Link website at www.standrews.org.uk.

When you are planning a golf trip, its always best to take along a few friends for the ultimate fun golfing vacation. Your wife (or husband) might not be happy about it, but we guarantee, youll have a wonderful time when you have some buddies along for a ride to the ultimate links!

A great place to plan a golf trip to is Alabama. Robert Trent Jones was a golf architect who designed over 500 golf courses and is known as one of the foremost golf course designers in the world. In Alabama, they offer the Robert Trent Jones golf trail which consists of 11 different golf courses throughout the state that offer up some of the best golf in the country.

When you travel to play golf on the RTJ golf trail, you will find challenging and fun courses that will provide for hours of enjoyment and camaraderie. This man was a genius when it came to designing golf courses, so be prepared to be amazed and perhaps a little frustrated.

If you want to travel for golf, you cant go wrong by going to the home of golf Scotland. St. Andrews Golf Club is one of the most beautiful places you can travel to and provides two different courses you can play including the old one which is where the game of golf originated.

If you are looking for a real challenge, travel to Georgia for your next golf trip. Augusta is home to the Augusta National Golf Club which is home to the Master golf tournament. You will get challenge and beautiful scenery as well as knowing that you are playing on a course where many of the great ones have struck their balls.

A golf trip is a great way to get away on a short vacation while doing what you love golfing. When you bring along people who also love golf on your golf trip, you will find that this can be one of the most satisfying vacations you have or will ever have!