While many people are familiar with the basics of golf, here are some intriguing facts that you might not have known:
Longest Recorded Drive: 515 Yards
English-American golfer and physiology expert Michael Hoke Austin holds the record for the longest drive. In 1974, during the U.S. National Seniors Tournament, he hit a ball an astonishing 515 yards. PGA champion Chandler Harper, who witnessed the drive, said, “This is impossible, but there’s a shock here.”
First 18-Hole Course: A Sheep Farm
The first 18-hole golf course in America was established in 1892 on a sheep farm in Downers Grove, Illinois. Businessman and golf enthusiast Charles B. Macdonald, along with his colleagues, built the course in this quaint town. Although it has since been reduced to nine holes, the Downers Grove course remains in use today.
Golf Balls Were Originally Made of Wood
In the 14th century, golfers used wooden balls. These balls were the standard until the 17th century, though they didn’t last long and frequently needed replacing.
Feathery Golf Balls
Another type of early golf ball was the “feathery,” which emerged around the same time as wooden balls. A feathery was a leather pouch filled with chicken or goose feathers. Due to the labor-intensive process of making them, a single feathery ball could cost the modern equivalent of $10-20.
Golf on the Moon
Golf is one of only two sports ever played on the moon. On February 6, 1971, astronaut Alan Shepard made a one-handed swing with a six-iron, sending the ball sailing through the moon’s low-gravity atmosphere. The other sport played on the moon is javelin.
