Golf is a popular sport where you hit a small ball into a small hole over a very long distance with an assortment of big sticks. It originated in Scotland and has made its way around the world. Today, millions of people play golf around the world. 

The first recorded game of golf was played in Scotland in 1456, 569 years ago. The original golf was hitting a pebble with a stick over the natural terrain. The sport has evolved so much since then. 

Now, golfers use heavy metal clubs instead of sticks and rubber balls instead of pebbles. Golfers also no longer have to worry about the rough natural terrain. Golf courses are laid with perfectly cut grass. There are still obstacles, but they are man-made and put there intentionally.

Another improvement to golf are country clubs. Country clubs are fancy buildings usually with a restaurant that overlooks the course. There is a driving range and a place to practice putting. But there is also usually a pool, a gym, and tennis courts. I do not see why they are selling hot dogs at the country club’s pool when there is a dress code to hit a small ball.

When you think about golf fashion you think of collared shirts and khaki pants. Most golf courses have a dress code that bans jeans, gym clothes, and T-shirts. There is a reason for the dress code. Khaki shorts are supposed to allow more movement and help show respect to the game’s traditions and its origin in Scotland. 

In golf, you wear a glove on your non-dominant hand. Only your non-dominant hand. Not your dominant hand, just your non-dominant hand. Wearing a glove is supposed to prevent blisters and chafing. But both hands touch the club when you swing, so why is there only one glove? 

If anything I want to prevent blisters on my dominant hand. I need that hand to do basically everything. I am useless with my non-dominant hand. 

Golf sticks or clubs are used to hit the ball across the course. But there is not just one club–there are 14 clubs you can use in one game. Each club does something different. Some clubs are very versatile, and some clubs are only good at doing one thing. 

In golf, you are given a certain time where you tee off, 1:56 and 2:17. These times are very specific, you must tee off exactly at 3:19, not 3:20, not 3:18, 3:19. Also, when you tee off you use a little pointy stick called a tee that you put into the ground and hit the golf ball off of. You hit the ball multiple times, but you only use the tee once, which seems odd. 

Golf is one of the only sports where you keep your own score. It is a very big honor system where you can give yourself a good score every time and nobody would know. You could give yourself the biggest score every time. But if you did that you would lose, because in golf the smallest score wins. 

Handicaps, one of the most confusing parts of golf. The better the player you are, the better your handicap, which means you have to play better than someone with a lower handicap. So to win a game of golf, I have to get a really bad handicap and play against someone with a really good handicap and I could win.

Golf is a very weird sport that captivates millions with a strict dress code, golf clubs, and gloves only on your non-dominant hand. I do not understand it, but I guess I am the outsider in all of this. So when you see me at the course, beware. I may yell “Four!” instead of “Fore!”