It is thought the word golf comes from the Dutch word "kolf" or "kolve", meaning "club". Historians believe this was passed on to the Scottish, whose own dialect changed this to "golve," "gowl" or "gouf". By the sixteenth century, this had evolved into the word we know today.

So what is the connection between Holland and Scotland? Active trade routes from Scotland's east coast, and Holland's west coast are thought to account for this cross-pollenation of cultures. Some historians believe Scottish sailors brought the game of "kolf" (a game involving a stick and a ball on frozen canals) to the Dutch.

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Contrary to what many believe, the word golf is not an acronym.