Was golf invented in the Netherlands or Scotland? The evidence suggests a continental origin.

History · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: While many assume golf is a quintessentially Scottish invention, historical evidence points toward earlier stick-and-ball games played in the Low Countries. Miniature paintings from the 15th century depict golfers long before the sport appeared in Scottish records, challenging the long-held belief that the game began in the north.

The origins of golf are notoriously difficult to pin down, with various theories tracing the game back to Roman paganica or the Chinese sport of chuiwan. However, these claims lack convincing proof. A more compelling case exists for a continental European lineage, specifically linked to the Dutch game of kolf. While some traditions claim kolf dates to 1297, this is likely an anachronism. Instead, the game likely emerged in the 15th century as a refined, skill-based evolution of more violent medieval pastimes.

The traditional narrative of a Scottish origin relies heavily on 15th-century parliamentary bans that outlawed 'futbawe and ye golf' to encourage archery practice. Yet, these documents are ambiguous regarding what the term 'golf' actually meant at the time. Crucially, pictorial evidence from the continent predates these Scottish sources. A miniature in a book of hours once belonging to the Duchess of Burgundy, created around the mid-1400s, shows people playing a game that clearly resembles golf. Similar scenes appear in later Flemish works, including the 1505 book of hours of Philip the Handsome.

The term 'golf' itself may be a linguistic descendant of the Dutch 'colf' or 'colve,' meaning club or bat. By the 17th century, the game had traveled across the Atlantic; Dutch settlers in Fort Orange, near modern-day Albany, were playing kolf by 1650. These early matches were often rowdy affairs, sometimes ending in violence over wagers, leading authorities to ban the sport from city streets to protect windows and pedestrians. It was only much later that the game evolved into the structured, 18-hole sport that gained worldwide popularity in the 20th century.

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