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Golf is truly a sport for all ages. Whether you are 80 years old or 20 years old, if you have the right skill set, you can master the sport. The modern version of golf can be traced back to the 15th century Scotland. The first written record of golf can be traced back to 1457 when it was banned by James II, who thought of it as a distraction to learning archery. The ban was lifted by James IV in 1506, with he himself became a golfer. The first recorded golf clubs date back to his era in the years 1503-1504.
The oldest surviving rules of the game can be traced to March 1744, created for The Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, who played at Leith in Scotland. The first major golf tournament to take place was The Open Championship, held on the 17th of October, 1860 in Ayrshire, Scotland. The sport was brought to the US by two Scotsmen – John Reid and Robert Lockhart. Reid set up the first golf club in the country in 1888 in Yonkers, New York.
Today, golf is a very popular sport in the US. Thanks to big names like Tiger Woods, nearly 2.4 million people took up the game in 2015. Spectator numbers and television viewer numbers are also increasing, with new players being added to the sport via player development programs led by the PGA Professionals. Thanks to all these efforts, cheap golf tickets continue to sell out rapidly, especially in case of major tournaments like the US Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship.
The Legends of Golf
Over the years, the sport of golf has seen many great names that have contributed to the ever increasing popularity of the sport. Let’s take a look at some of these golfers.
Jack Nicklaus: Jack Nicklaus is the all-time greatest golfer when it comes down to major championships. With his impressive 18 major wins, Nicklaus managed to finish among the top 10 greatest golfers of all time. He remains the oldest Masters champion, wining his sixth green jacket at 46 years of age in 1986.
Tiger Woods: With 79 PGA Tour victories to his name, there is no doubt about the greatness of Tiger Woods as a class golf player. He won his 14th and final major at the 2008 US Open and has since been affected by health issues. For a while in the early 2000s, it seemed like Woods would easily surpass Jack Nicklaus and set new records. Woods is among the only five golfers who have achieved the modern day grand slam.
Bobby Jones: For the seven years between 1923 and 1930, Bobby Jones was without doubt the greatest player, also credited with co-founding the Masters. As just an amateur in his early days, Jones is known to have beaten the greatest professional golfers of his time, including Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen. He played a total of 31 majors and won 13 of them, finishing in the top 10 a total of 27 times.
Ben Hogan: With 64 PGA Tour victories under his belt, Ben Hogan is not far behind on the list of golf greats. Often referred to as The Hawk, the legendary ball-striker ended his career with a 1953 Open Championship victory. The season is known as “The Triple Crown” season – Hogan won five of the six tournaments he played in. His career took a major hit during the World War II, when he and his wife were part of a bus accident. However, he recovered fully and was able to return to the sport within nine months.
Arnold Palmer: Ranking 5th in all time rankings with his 62 PGA Tour wins, Arnold Palmer is nothing short of a legend. Referred to as The King, Arnold Palmer is known as the first mega star of the golf’s television age. His first PGA victory was in 1955 and the last one was in 1973. He was a regular golf player for nearly 23 years and had many famous battles on the golf course against the likes of Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Billy Casper.
Upcoming Major Golf Tournaments in 2018
As the new year dawns, golf fans have plenty of tournaments to look forward to. Let’s take a look at some of the details regarding the upcoming games.
US Masters: This year, the US Masters will take place at Augusta National in Georgia, from 5th till 8th April, 2018.
US Open: The 2018 US Open will take place at the Shinnecock Hills in Long Island, New York. The tournament will start in the peak summer time on 14th June and last till 17th June, 2018. Shinnecock has previously hosted four Opens, with the most recent one being in 2004, where Retief Goosen won over Phil Mickelson.
Open Championship: The prestigious Open Championship will take place at the Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland from 19th July 2018 till 22nd July, 2018. A total of 156 players will be taking part in this esteemed event, organized by The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. It will be the eighth Open Championship to be played at Carnoustie.
US PGA: This tournament will be held in Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis in Missouri between 16th August, 2018 and 19th August, 2018. Previously Bellerive Country Club has hosted the 2013 Senior PGA Championship in recent times. It has also hosted the World Golf Championship in 2001 among other prestigious tournaments.
Open Golf Tickets
US Open golf tickets are now available along with tickets for other major golf tournaments – the US PGA, the Open Championship and the US Masters. If you happen to be an avid golf follower, these golf tickets are just the thing you need. With the 2018 season right around the corner, the excitement in the air is growing. Be a part of an exciting series of golf events coming up ahead and get a chance to catch your favorite players live in action!
