One of the many legends regarding the origin of golf is about a simple herdsman who, while walking along riverside dunes, hit a spherical stone with his staff and accidentally rolled it into a rabbit hole. His friends liked this new pastime and joined him. Later on the stones were substituted by gutta-percha balls, rabbit holes with artificial ones, and staffs with specially designed clubs. .
Many countries claim to be the homeland of golf. For example, "Kolven" was very popular in Holland, but it was played on ice. Romans had the game "Paganica" similar to golf, which could have passed from them to Britain in 400 CE. The Chinese believe the ancient game "gui wan" widely spread in the Sky Empire in 3rd-2nd centuries BC was an ancestor to modern golf. Frenchmen and Belgians also have their own versions. .
Nevertheless, the small Scottish town of St. Andrews, named for the saint whose tomb is located in the town's cathedral built six centuries ago, is regarded as homeland of classic golf. One even can see a picture of a man with club in his hands on one of stained glass windows of this ancient cathedral. Golf was first mentioned in writing in 1457, a date considered as the beginning of the official history of the sport, in a resolution made by the Scottish Parliament. In the resolution, King James banned golf because his soldiers were neglecting their duty, archery training, in favor of the game. Golf survived the ban and in its wake created a whole separate culture with a great number of traditions and legends. .
The Gentlemen Golfers now called The Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, who claim to be founded in 1744 and The Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh who claim 1735 as the year of their foundation both make cases to be regarded as the oldest club in golf. .
In 1870, Sir David Moncrief bet John White-Melvin, esquire, that whoever of them would outlive the other, they should present a golf club made of gold with terms of the bet terms engraved on the club to The St.