ABSTRACT
Golf is one of the oldest popular sports, with a history of more than 500 years. Beginning in 15th-century Scotland, golf became a sport of the British elite. Traditionally considered a game for the wealthy, the sport has a history of discrimination on racial, gender and religious lines. In recent decades, women and people of colour have broken barriers to access his exclusive game. Today, golf is played around the globe, with professionals competing in highly commercialized tour events and millions more playing recreational golf. After more than a century of exclusion, golf was re-admitted into the Olympic Games in 2016. Despite expansion of the game globally, Olympic popularity, golf tourism and efforts to rebrand the game more inclusively, golf participation is on the decline. In this chapter, we will explore the history and development of this historic game, examining how the sport has evolved to become more inclusive, yet struggles to attract the next generation of golfers.
