Where did the name for golf originally come from?

Question

Where did the name for golf originally come from?

Answer 1

Golf = gentleman only, ladies forbidden

Answer 2

Someone once told me it was invented by a Scotsman who'd lost most of his teeth!  And when he said the word, he lost most of his fiends- which is why golfers today tend to spend much of their time walking fairways on their own!

Answer 3

gentlemen only ladies forbidden

Answer 4

Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden

Answer 5

It originated from the Dutch language (meaning club) then was changed some when the game was popularized in Scotland.

Answer 6

The Gentleman Only Ladies Forbidden acronym is a common misconception - see here for more details. Not sure why we keep making up acronyms to explain where words come from!  http://www.scottishgolfhistory.net/golf_...

Answer 7

No, "golf" is not an acronym for "gentlemen only, ladies forbidden." If you've ever heard that, forget it immediately. Better yet, find the person who told you and let them know it's not true.

Like most modern words, the word "golf" derives from older languages and dialects. In this case, the languages in question are medieval Dutch and old Scots.

The medieval Dutch word "kolf" or "kolve" meant "club." It is believed that word passed to the Scots, whose old Scots dialect transformed the word into "golve," "gowl" or "gouf."

By the 16th Century, the word "golf" had emerged.

Answer 8

They picked "golf" because all the other good four letter words were taken.