Golf: The Greatest Player

“The Greatest Game Ever Played” Then and Now

Golf is a sport that has been on the rise in popularity since the early 1900’s. The early years of golf was on a membership basis, only men of noble birth and privileged high class were able to be members. The stereotype of this “gentlemen’s sport” as a rich white man’s game has changed since the introduction of public courses in the US, and with women of the LPGA offering role models for young girls. More and more public courses are opening around the world, and the cost of the sport is readily available for the general public. Golf was once a game for “gentlemen”, now it is the middle class that is taking over the sport.

“Golf is a game played by gentlemen, no the likes of you.” (Paxton, “The Greatest Game Ever Played) is the first line of the movie. Harry Vardon, one of the main characters of the movie, is a young child walking out of his home

In the years to come the players would slowly develop rules for the game. Golf began to take shape as the game played today in the 1800’s. “Golf in the first half of the century was still largely an informal game: there was almost no distinction between amateurs and professionals, and matches were set up primarily to bet on, bets made between players and spectators.” (Pearson, History of the Game of Golf) The elitist members of the clubs used these matches to help set up the rules used in today’s game. Peasants were only allowed to play under special circumstances, “The artisans may play on Sunday after raking the bunkers, but they’re not allowed at any time to walk in front of the clubhouse.” (Arscott, Golf: A Very Peculiar History) Other than this the course and golf club was only available to the elite citizens that would spend weekends and holidays playing golf and other