Theos-Talk Archives (January 2006 Message tt00225)

> Golf History FAQ: Where Did the Word "Golf" Come From?
> From Brent Kelley,
> Your Guide to Golf.
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> Does it Stand for "Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden"?
> Did the word "golf" originate as an acronym for "gentlemen only, ladies 
> forbidden"? That's a common old wives' tale. Or, in this case, more likely an 
> old husband's tale.
> No, "golf" is not an acronym for "gentlemen only, ladies forbidden." If 
> you've ever heard that, forget it immediately. Better yet, find the person who 
> told you and let them know it's not true.
> Like most modern words, the word "golf" derives from older languages and 
> dialects. In this case, the languages in question are medieval Dutch and old 
> Scots.
> The medieval Dutch word "kolf" or "kolve" meant "club." It is believed that 
> word passed to the Scots, whose old Scots dialect transformed the word into 
> "golve," "gowl" or "gouf."
> By the 16th Century, the word "golf" had emerged.
> Sources: British Golf Museum, USGA Library Back to Golf History FAQ 
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