Learning to Play Golf and Golf Instruction

The great Arnold Palmer once said " It all began when a shepherd gave a pebble a good old lick with his crook" and when you think about learning to play golf like this then that is all there really is to it. It is most probably true that this is how the game of golf developed into the way in which it is played today.

The game of golf and the way golf instruction is taught is associated in all the books and historical golf documents with having been invented in Scotland in the 15th and 16th Century but nobody can be really sure and there is proof that the first golfballs were originally made in Holland some years before we saw the feathery in Scotland.

One thing we can be sure of is the history of golf definately has it's roots based soundly in Scotland, the rules of golf were first put in place by the R&A (Royal and Ancient Golf Club) so Scotland is where we will begin our golf journey to understand how to learn to play this wonderful game..

One of the earliest writings on the game was made by a gentleman named Thomas Kincaid. Young Mr Kincaid kept a diary during the 17th century and in this diary gave the first real views and insight into how to play the game and how the mechanics of the golf swing worked..........

"stand as you would for using your sword when fencing, keep the muscles in your legs, back and arms fixed or stiff and do not slacken or loosen them while starting and playing the stroke. You must move your arms only a little, the majority of the swinging motion must be completed by turning your body on it's axis"

So this was an early indication of how the golfswing was perceived and how it should be played. This method was used right through to the 19th Century when at the time a new breed of golfer emerged.

The Pirie brothers from St Andrews in Scotland were thought to be golf’s prime users of the feathery golf ball and were labelled as masters of the game at this point in time however, the first real professional golfer to be recognised as a truly great player was a gentleman by the name of Allan Robertson.

Robertson (1815 - 1859) had his very own shop in St Andrews which ran alongside the Old Course and it is here where he made feathery golf balls and other golf equipment along with his then pupil and protege Tom Morris senior....... or Old Tom Morris as we affecionately know him today.

We have a golf balls section where you can read more about these old balls as well as what goes into modern day golf ball construction.

But lets get back to Mr Robertson…….

Robertson was one of the largest exporters of equipment worldwide during this period and is held in high esteem as one of the pioneers in the manufacture of golf equipment. If you ever have the chance to visit the R&A Clubhouse you will see his portrait hanging on its walls.

Although their are no official records, it is well known that when these two greats teamed up they were invincible on the links. One official record that is known to exist about Robertson is that he was indeed the first player to break 80 on the Old Course.

How about that for a piece of golfing history

As the game developed so did the golfball and when the rubber gutta percha ball (Haskell) was introduced it spelt the end for much of Allan Robertson's work and his business eventually went into decline as did his relationship with his protege Morris who actually embraced this new technology much to the disdain and annoyment of his mentor. This led to a break in their relationship which was never restored.

After his rift with Robertson, Old Tom Morris (1821 - 1908) then moved on to become a greenkeeper at the Prestwick links course and there the seeds were sown for "The Open Championship " which he is accredited with starting.

When golf moved into the 20th century their came the time when one member of the royal family had a huge bearing on how the game would be played in the mid to the latter part of the century, this is something you can read about in our golf clubs section which gives you a history of old clubs such as the mashie and brassie, and how modern day equipment and golf club components like grips, shafts and clubhead design have changed the game.

So now I have given you an intoducton to this wonderful game it is time for some golf instruction  and it is in this section where we have put together a specific set of golf lessons and golf tips which can be used by novice golfers and experienced golfers alike.

If you are thinking of taking a holiday this year then you might find the golf vacation part of the site useful as I have written an article which includes information about some great courses and layouts I have been fortunate enough to play myself and ones which I would advise any fellow golf nut to play if they get the chance.

We really hope you enjoy reading through our site and please feel free to read through our other sections including insurance which covers the pitfalls and dangers of not having the correct level of golf insurance policy.

I hope you enjoy the site and please feel free to recommend the site to your fellow golf friends and come back soon because we will be adding new articles and information on a weekly basis.