1900: Golf in the Summer Olympics
Golf was featured in the Summer Olympic Games official program in 1900.
1904: Golf in the Summer Olympics
Golf was featured in the Summer Olympic Games official program in 1904.
1930: Bobby Jones Praises Joyce Wethered
In 1930, professional golfer Bobby Jones praised Joyce Wethered after they played an exhibition against each other, stating his belief that she was one of the best golfers, regardless of gender.
1934: Masters Tournament Founded
The Masters Tournament was founded in 1934 and has been played at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia since its inception.
1937: Senior PGA Championship Founded
The Senior PGA Championship was founded in 1937.
1947: Babe Zaharias Wins British Women's Amateur and is Denied Entry to U.S. Open
In 1947, Babe Zaharias became the first American to win the British Women's Amateur title. However, in the same year, her application to qualify for the U.S. Open was rejected by the USGA, stating that the event was intended for men only.
1950: Formation of the Ladies Professional Golf Association
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) was formed in 1950 to increase the popularity of women's golf and provide more competitive opportunities for female golfers.
1960: Jack Nicklaus Finishes Second in the US Open
In 1960, Jack Nicklaus finished second in the U.S. Open to champion Arnold Palmer, with a 72-hole score of 282, which was the best score to date in that tournament by an amateur.
1961: Jack Nicklaus Wins the US Amateur Championship
In 1961, Jack Nicklaus won that year's U.S. Amateur Championship.
1962: Jack Nicklaus Turns Pro
In 1962, Jack Nicklaus turned professional.
February 1971: Alan Shepard Plays Golf on the Moon
In February 1971, astronaut Alan Shepard became the first person to golf anywhere other than on Earth. He smuggled a golf club head and two golf balls on board Apollo 14 and hit two golf balls on the moon.
1972: Title IX of the Education Amendments
In 1972, the U.S. Congress passed Title IX of the Education Amendments, prohibiting sex-based discrimination in any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. This legislation had a significant impact on women's sports, including golf.
1977: Renee Powell Makes History
American golfer Renee Powell, who had moved to the UK to advance her career, became the first woman to play in a British men's tournament in 1977.
1984: First Golf Course Opens in China
In 1984, the first golf course opened in China.
1996: International Federation of PGA Tours Founded
In 1996, the International Federation of PGA Tours was founded as a trade body for the world's main golf tours.
1999: Asian Tour Joins Federation
The Asian Tour became a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours in 1999.
2000: 6.9 Million in the US Play Golf at Least 25 Times a Year
In 2000, according to the National Golf Foundation, 6.9 million people in the United States played golf at least 25 times per year. The NGF also reported that 30 million people played golf at all.
2000: Canadian Tour Becomes Associate Member
In 2000, the Canadian Tour became an associate member of the International Federation of PGA Tours.
2001: Women's British Open Becomes a Major
The Women's British Open replaced the du Maurier Classic as a major in the LPGA Tour in 2001.
2003: Senior Open Championship Recognized as a Major
The Senior Open Championship was not recognized as a major by PGA Tour Champions until 2003.
2004: Golf Course Numbers Triple in China Despite Ban
From 2004 to 2009 the number of golf courses in China tripled despite an official ban, as the ban was evaded with the government's tacit approval.
2004: The R&A is Founded
In 2004, The R&A was spun off from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
2005: Golf Digest Calculates Golf Courses per Capita
In 2005, Golf Digest calculated the countries with the most golf courses per capita.
2005: Frequent and Total Golfers in the US Decreases
In 2005, according to the National Golf Foundation, the number of people in the United States who played golf twenty-five times or more per year decreased to 4.6 million from 6.9 million in 2000. The NGF reported that the total number who played golf decreased from 30 million to 26 million over the same period.
2007: Tour de las Américas Joins Federation
The Tour de las Américas, representing Latin America, became an associate member of the International Federation of PGA Tours in 2007.
2008: LET Schedules Event Opposite LPGA Championship
In 2008, the Ladies European Tour (LET) scheduled an event that conflicted with the LPGA Championship, marking a change from its previous practice of avoiding conflicts with LPGA majors.
2009: Approximate Number of Golf Courses in China Reaches 600
By the end of 2009, there were roughly 600 golf courses in China despite an official ban on new golf course development for much of the 21st century, except for Hainan province.
2009: Federation Expansion
The International Federation of PGA Tours underwent a major expansion in 2009, with eleven new tours becoming full members.
2010: PGA and European Tour Money Titles Claimed by Same Golfer 3 Times
Since 2010, both the PGA Tour and European Tour's money titles have been claimed by the same individual three times.
2011: Women Make Up 19 Percent of Golfers in the US
In 2011 in the United States, women made up 19 percent of golfers.
2011: Luke Donald Wins PGA and European Tour Money Titles
In 2011, Luke Donald claimed both the PGA Tour and European Tour's money titles.
2011: PGA Tour Takes Over Tour de las Américas
In 2011, the PGA Tour effectively took over the Tour de las Américas.
2012: Rory McIlroy Wins PGA and European Tour Money Titles
In 2012, Rory McIlroy claimed both the PGA Tour and European Tour's money titles.
2013: Henrik Stenson Wins FedEx Cup and European Tour Money Title, Tiger Woods Wins PGA Money Title
In 2013, Henrik Stenson won the FedEx Cup points race on the PGA Tour and the European Tour money title but did not top the PGA Tour money list. Tiger Woods won the PGA Tour money list in 2013.
2013: Evian Championship Becomes a Major
The Evian Championship was added as the fifth major in the LPGA Tour in 2013.
2014: Rory McIlroy Wins PGA and European Tour Money Titles
In 2014, Rory McIlroy claimed both the PGA Tour and European Tour's money titles.
2016: Golf Returns to the Olympics
After a 112-year absence, golf returned to the Summer Olympic Games in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
2016: Ongoing Fight for Equal Opportunities in Golf
Despite progress in women's golf, a significant pay gap persisted in 2016, with the USGA awarding substantially more prize money to winners of the men's U.S. Open compared to the U.S. Women's Open.
2016: Anchored Putting Banned on Professional Circuits
In 2016, anchored putting, a style that involves anchoring the putter to the player's stomach or chin for stability, was banned on professional golf circuits.
2017: USGA and R&A Begin Rewriting the Rules of Golf
In 2017, the USGA and R&A undertook a complete rewrite of the rules of golf with the aim of simplifying them.
January 2019: New Golf Rule Book Takes Effect
In January 2019, a new rule book jointly written by The R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA) came into effect, aiming to simplify the rules of golf.
2019: Countries With the Most Golf Courses Listed
In 2019, a list of countries with the most golf courses was created.
2020: World Handicap System Introduced
In 2020, a new World Handicap System was introduced globally, developed by the USGA, The R&A, and various handicapping authorities to address difficulties in translating between different handicap systems.
2021: Women Make Up 25 Percent of Golfers in the US
In 2021 in the United States, women made up 25 percent of golfers, up from 19 percent since 2011. In 2021, junior female golfers accounted for 35 percent or 1.1 million golfers.