Golf, a cross-country game that became a worldwide sport, was once banned by the Olympics in 1904; the sport returned to the Olympics only in 2016. People consider this game as one of the most difficult sports which need skill proficiency and immense practice. Hats off to all the professional golfers!
Flashback
The origin of this club and ball sport is ambiguous. Golf has changed its form in many ways from the 18th century to the present. The modern game of golf is believed to be invented in Scotland. In the recent 2020 Summer Olympics, players from various countries participated in the golf competition. Nelly Korda, the American Golfer, grabbed the Gold in that Olympics.
Who Played Golf on the Moon?
- A. Alan Shepard Jr.
- B. Richard Feynman
- C. Nikola Tesla
- D. Neil deGrasse Tyson
There are many interesting facts about Golf and you can’t miss out on any.
Golf balls on the Moon!
Alan Shepard Jr., commander of the Apollo 14 mission played golf on the Moon. In 1971, during the Apollo 14 mission landing, Shepard hit two golf balls, the first one he only skimmed, but he sent the second one flying.
Leather and Feather Ball
Earlier, the golf balls were made of boiled wet feathers wrapped in leather. These balls flew very far compared to the golf balls used today. The feather golf balls used to tear easily after several usages. To avoid this, the designers used gutta-percha, to make the ball. Later, they switched to rubber ball which is in current usage.
Do you know Phil Mickelson is Right-Handed?
Phil Mickelson, the famous professional golfer, is right-handed, but plays golf left-handed. He used to watch his right-handed father play the sport and started mirroring his style.
Less Chance of Achieving a Hole-in-one
Most golfers fail to achieve a hole-in-one stroke as the distance between the ball and the hole is very far. The odds of making a hole in one are 12,500 to one. A professional golfer’s odds are 2,500 to one.
The Banned Sport
In the 1900s, the Olympics banned the sport, because of an internal dispute among golfers. Then, after 112 years, Golf re-entered the Olympics in 2016.