It is generally agreed that golf was first played in Scotland in the 15th century. Its popularity spread throughout the 16th century, and the first international golf match took place in 1682 between players from England and Scotland. Clubs began forming soon after, and concrete rules of the game were established.
普遍认为高尔夫的第一场比赛是15世纪时在苏格兰举行的。它从16世纪开始普及起来，首场国际性高尔夫球赛就是在1682年举行的，选手均来自英格兰及苏格兰。不久，高尔夫俱乐部开始成立，同时也确立了具体的比赛规则。