Some people are used to seeing golf as a game for the rich, but this is not the case. It has become an extremely popular sport that almost any user can play. So what makes a game that involves swinging, hitting and shooting the ball straight into the hole interesting? They may not answer all your questions, but these five fun facts will definitely make you better understand the appeal of the sport.
When playing this game, calories are burned efficiently and muscle mass increases. The average golfer weighing 190 pounds (approximately 86 kilograms) will burn 430 calories per hour, provided that the player walks on the field without using a golf cart.
Where does golf come from?
This club-and-ball discipline has long been a hobby of wealthy and successful people, but today it has a more affordable status. Learning to play golf is not too difficult. It is a monotonous sport that gives you the opportunity to be distracted, relax and be inspired by new beginnings in your career or personal life.
The first balls appeared in Scotland and were made of hardwood – oak or boxwood. These balls appeared in the XIV century and played with them until the XVII century. However, a typical wooden ball could not be played for a long time, so they often had to be replaced.
What are the interesting facts about golf?
As you know, many cruise ships are equipped with golf courses, where everyone can test their skills. The balls themselves are harmful to the environment, they do not sink after falling into the water. One German company has invented a ball that is 100% fish feed. Once in the water, it crumbles and becomes a delicious dinner for marine life.
The first official mention of this sport was in 1457, when the Scottish Parliament banned the game, as it was a distraction from military training, which harmed the country’s national security.
There is a funny tradition in Australian clubs: if a ball hits a kangaroo during a match, the game still goes on as if nothing had happened.
Professionalism, accuracy and propensity to create strategies are the main criteria that a player must have. Surprisingly, in 1899 a blind man played club-and-bal for the first time, showing a pretty good result at the end of the match.
What are the golf records?
The longest hit in the history of golf at 515 yards (470 meters) was made by Anglo-American professional and kinesiology expert Michael Austin. Participating in the competition “U.S. The National Seniors Tournament in 1974, he sent the ball for an incredible 515 yards. PGA champion Chandler Harper, one of the participants in the tournament, who was on the same flight with Austin, said: “It’s impossible, but the ball is there!”.