The oldest golf course in the world
If I asked you where the oldest golf course in the world was what would you say? Scotland yes, good guess so far. But where in Scotland?
When pressed most golfers eventually say St Andrews, but theyre wrong. Golf was played at Musselburgh near Edinburgh at least ten years before any recorded games at St Andrews. Local records suggest that golf was played on the links land near the shore at Musselburgh from around the year 1567.
The old course in Musselburgh is still there today and retains much of its original layout. It has nine holes and can be played by all comers. Seven of the holes were laid out before 1830 (and probably much earlier) and the two new holes were added in the mid 1800s.
The British Open golf tournament was held at Musselburgh on five occasions between 1874 and 1889 and the first ever golf competition for women was played on the course in 1811. The club members still compete for the Old Club Cup, which dates back to 1774.
Even the holes in the greens are significant at Musselburgh. In 1829 the members decided to buy a mechanical device from a local blacksmith to cut the holes on the green. By chance he made it with a diameter of exactly four and a half inches. Golf holes at the time could be any size that the members wanted there was no rule about it. In 1893 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews who by this time wrote the rules of golf for the game worldwide decided that all golf holes should be the same size as the ones at Musselburgh and the decision has remained unchanged to this day.
For a course of such historical importance, access is remarkably easy. You can simply pay and play if you wish and there is a small shop selling special souvenirs. Memberships are available for both local and overseas members the latter might make a particularly unusual golf gift. Each overseas member receives a welcome pack with a history of the club, a special bag tag, special golf balls and tees and is welcome to join in any competitions if they come for a holiday in Scotland.
This truly is golf at its most authentic and in its most historical setting. Come try it you will really feel the history of the place.
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About The Author Gary Hill lives and works near Edinburgh in Scotland. You can visit his website at www.vacation2europe.com and read more about golf vacations to Scotland and Ireland at www.vacation2europe.com/ireland-golf-vacation.html Even as you read this article, golf fitness exercise programs continue to positively revolutionize the games of many golfers around the country and indeed around the world. A golf fitness exercise program plays a major role in helping many golfers achieve consistent and good results on the course with their swing. Still many golfers are yet to fully appreciate the potential of a golf fitness exercise program and many are not aware of the fact that they usually have a huge impact on a golfer’s game. A golf fitness exercise program will tend to concentrate on the muscles and parts of the body used when playing golf and especially during the golf swing. A useful golf fitness exercise program will be able to help any golf attain more flexibility as well as strength on the course. It is important to remember that most of the body is used for a golf swing. Right from the feet to the knees, hamstring and hip, the lower part of the body is critical to the golf swing. Then there are the more obvious participants in the body like the arms and upper body and neck. A golf fitness exercise program does a significant job of ensuring that most of these muscles are ready for the strain that golf usually exerts on them. Usually a golf fitness exercise program combines dynamic strength and flexibility exercises, as well as stabilization and core strength. Most of these exercises can be done with simple handweights (dumbbells) and exercise tubing. No gym required! Too many golfers go to the gym, plop down on a machine and hope their game will get better. It usually doesn’t. You’ve always got to keep the golf swing mechanics in mind when doing a golf fitness exercise program. About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Take a look at his just released golf fitness manual and dvds at http://www.performbettergolf.com Copyright Mike Pedersen – http://www.performbettergolf.com |



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