Who Is the Father of Golf? Unraveling Golf's True Origins and Influencers

No sport draws as many tall tales as golf. You’ll hear stories claiming the game’s origins are ancient, that it began with shepherds in Scotland hacking stones into rabbit holes. Or—if you ask a Dutch historian—it was invented in the Netherlands using a stick and a leather ball, centuries before the Scots made it famous. But when folks talk about the "father of golf," they’re usually talking about a flesh-and-blood man, not some anonymous peasant or distant civilization. So, who actually deserves that title?

Golf’s Mysterious Origins: Clearing Up Legends and Myths

The search for golf’s origin is a bit like a wild goose chase. Some say the game was played as early as the 13th century in the Netherlands, calling it "kolf." A painting from 17th century Holland shows men doing something suspiciously similar to what we now call golf. But the oldest documented mention of "golf" by name actually pops up in Scotland in 1457, when King James II banned it because it was distracting people from archery practice. Hard to believe, right? A king actually told his subjects to stop golfing and pick up their bows.

But let's be real: the early game looked nothing like what we see today at Augusta or St. Andrews. Picture people swinging at pebbles with clubs carved from tree branches, marching over open fields with no tees or greens. No formal holes, no manicured fairways. Not exactly what we’d call a tournament.

Fast forward to the 18th century—now Scotland isn’t just home to golf, it’s becoming the beating heart of the game. The first rules? Cooked up in 1744 for the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. St. Andrews became the temple. Anyone obsessed with golf knows the Old Course by name, many dreaming of walking its windswept stretches.

But for all the legends, there’s no single ancient "father of golf." The game we recognize today was shaped by a few remarkable people, and one of them, a humble Scotsman, is still called the father of golf.

Meet Old Tom Morris: The Legendary "Father of Golf"

Now, if you're going to name one person, it has to be Old Tom Morris. Born in 1821 in St. Andrews, Tom grew up living and breathing the game. He started as an apprentice for Allan Robertson—another legend often called the world's first professional golfer. But it was Tom’s name, not his boss’s, that would echo through the centuries.

Old Tom Morris didn’t just play; he sculpted. He designed some of Scotland’s finest courses: Muirfield, Prestwick, Carnoustie, Royal Dornoch. He introduced the idea of top-dressing greens with sand, developing turf management methods that still shape today’s courses. Tom is credited with creating the first actual "cup" holes for putting and organizing 18-hole courses, cementing a standard that’s gone global. Before him, course lengths and layouts were all over the place—some had 12 holes, some had even fewer.

He won The Open—the world’s oldest golf championship—not once, but four times. He was 46 when he last won, STILL the oldest winner ever; his son Young Tom Morris was the youngest champion. Imagine that father-son rivalry!

But Tom’s impact goes way past trophies. He mentored scores of young players, gave back to St. Andrews, and set the standards for sportsmanship that make golf the "gentleman’s game." If you’ve ever teed off at dawn just for the peace and the history, you’ve felt Tom’s presence.

The Dutch Connection: Was Golf Born in the Netherlands?

Let’s not ignore the debate. Dutch fans point to kolf—played on ice or fields as early as 1261—and claim the Scots borrowed, not invented, golf. In 1360, a Brussels city law even banned playing kolf near church windows in fear of breaking them. Dutch paintings show similar swinging motions, sticks, and balls, but the rules were different. Players aimed at a stake, not a hole, and sometimes played on frozen canals instead of grassy hills.

While the evidence of kolf is real, the modern golf we know—hole-to-hole play on grassy courses, 18 holes, designated greens—grew up in Scotland. There’s plenty of that "inspired by, not copied from" energy in the roots. If we’re splitting hairs, you might say the Dutch gave us the first stirrings of golf, but the Scots made it a sport.

This table sums up some milestones, but every line is debated, some more fiercely than others.

How the Game Evolved: From Pebbles to Augusta Masters

The transformation from stick-and-ball fun to serious sport sped up with technology and passion. Early clubs were crafted from local trees: heads from beech, shafts from ash or hickory. Once golf balls went from feathers wrapped tight in leather (costing as much as a week’s wages!) to the “gutty” ball—made of gutta-percha rubber—the sport erupted in popularity. Suddenly, golf wasn’t just for the upper crust. Working folks could afford to play.

That’s when golf started spreading fast—first across the UK, then into the U.S., thanks to Scottish immigrants. In 1894, the USGA was born, and by 1934 the Masters exploded onto the scene. Golfers today owe a nod to Old Tom, but also to technology. Titanium drivers, smart caddie apps, drone-assisted course mapping—none of this was even imagined in Tom’s day.

• Early golf courses varied wildly in length until Old Tom helped standardize 18 holes.
• Today, nearly 40,000 golf courses exist worldwide.
• The oldest surviving golf trophy, the Silver Club of Edinburgh, comes from 1744.
• Tiger Woods and Annika Sörenstam made headlines for smashing those old records, but they’d both name-check Tom Morris if asked about influences.

Kids learning the game now practice on high-tech simulators and hit balls with forged carbon clubs. Still, the echoes of golf's humble origins linger. Walking out on a dew-covered fairway, it’s hard not to picture Old Tom laying out the next hole with barefoot ambition.

Interesting Facts and Essential Tips for Golf Lovers

Check out this playbook—useful for anyone curious about golf’s wild ride through history. Want to impress fellow fans or ace a pub quiz? You’ll want these in your back pocket:

• The longest golf course in the world runs nearly 8,500 yards—located in Queensland, Australia.
• In Japan, where land is tight, rooftop driving ranges are as popular as full courses.
• Golf’s only been in the Olympics twice—1900 and 1904—before a 112-year break until 2016.
• There’s a law in South Korea that you can’t play golf on a Sunday before noon because of church service hours.
• The term “birdie” came about in 1903 from American slang, meaning “cool” or “excellent.”
• Modern golfers can thank Old Tom for innovations like yardage markers and hazards placed to make play more strategic.
• If you want to get better fast, practice your short game over your drive—chipping and putting are where matches are won and lost.
• St. Andrews’ famous “Road Hole” is played with the tee shot over a hotel. No, really—it’s as wild as it sounds.
• In Scotland, you’re never more than 50 miles from a golf course—talk about accessibility!

Want to play a “Tom Morris” style game yourself? Start by walking the course instead of using a cart. Get a feel for the land underfoot; golf’s roots come from learning to read bumps, winds, and the smell of salt on the air. Carry your own clubs once or twice; it’s a humbling, old-school way to appreciate the walk—just like Old Tom did, back in the day. And don’t forget: golf is a game of honor. Keep your own score, play by the rules, and thank those who paved the fairway before you.

If you ever get a chance to visit St. Andrews, make it your pilgrimage. Tip your cap at the statue of Old Tom Morris by the 18th green. Every golfer owes him that much. So, next time you hear someone ask, "Who is the father of golf?"—you’ll have more than just a name. You’ve got the whole story.