If your idea of the perfect afternoon is spent working on your golf swing in the sunshine, be sure to celebrate National Golf Month this August by getting out on the course and hitting a few.

National Golf Month was created to honor this great sport and during this month there will be many special golf events throughout the country.

Golf: The History of the Sport

Golf is a sport which involves hitting the golf ball with a club unto a series of holes on a golf course by using the fewest number of strokes. Each round of golf requires the competitors to play the holes in a given order. A typical ‘round’ is 18 holes but a short game of 9 holes can also be played.

Golf is one of the very few ball games which do not require a standardized playing field. The game is played on a golf course and no two courses are alike in their fairway, hazards and holes.

The modern game that we know as golf was invented back in 15^th century Scotland and some historians believe it is linked to the Roman game of paganica while others cite the Chinese game chuiwan as the inspiration. Golf was documented as being played on the Musselburgh Links in Scotland in March of 1672, making this the oldest existing golf course in the world.

During the 1800s and 1900s the game of golf grew enormously in popularity. There were 387 golf courses worldwide in 1890 and today there are over 32,000.

Golfing Etiquette Tips

There is a certain code of behavior that golfers follow to make the game more enjoyable for each other. When you are out on the golf course celebrating National Golf Month, make sure that you follow these basic golf etiquette guidelines:

• Do not make a noise or a sudden movement when someone is about to follow through on their golf swing. It can be very distracting and cause them to swing incorrectly.
• If you hit a ball which travels far and is heading toward other players, yell “Fore” so that they can get out of the way.
• If you are waiting for another group at the hole in front of you, be patient and do not rush them. If another group is behind you and waiting, play the hole as quickly as you can so they don’t have to wait long.
• Wear the appropriate clothing for golfing. Many golf clubs will have a dress code requiring certain clothing, such as a collared shirt and closed-toe shoes.

No matter where you live in the world, there is a likely to be a golf course nearby where you can celebrate National Golf Month by playing 18 holes with your best friends. Have a great game!

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