Member-only story
Why Scotland Once Banned Golf For Decades In The Name Of National Security
One of the world’s most popular sports was once seen as a detriment to running a country
Golf is one of the oldest and most widely enjoyed sports in the world. One region where it has some of its deepest roots and richest traditions is Scotland, which is also most likely where the game was born. Despite its relatively serene nature, golf was banned there for a period of decades due in large part to concerns over national security.
Over the years, there have been a variety of games that bore similarities to golf that were played around the world. The version that most closely resembles what is played today is believed to have originated in Scotland sometime during the 15th century. It was a game that appealed to and was played by all genders and social classes.
Golf became so popular in Scotland that it soon became seen as a social impediment. On March 6, 1457, an Act of Parliament was passed by the Scottish Parliament and King James II that outlawed both golf and soccer (football). Ironically, this law also serves as one of the first pieces of written evidence of golf existing in the country.
There were multiple reasons cited for such an aggressive measure that roundly condemned the…
