ABSTRACT
Introduction In less than a century the game of golf has been transformed from a sport limited to a relatively small number of devotees, mostly male, organized in a limited number of local clubs scattered in a few countries of the world to a game enjoyed by millions of players organized in many thousands of clubs and played to a substantial extent in more than 60 countries throughout the world. The rising standard of living in many countries as well as a new interest in health and physical fitness have attracted people to the sport. Primary responsibility for making golf what it is today has been the promotional activities of the golf organizations beginning at the local club level itself, up through the national and regional bodies, and to the international coordinating and rule-making organizations. And everyone recognizes that the expansion of business and commercial development enterprises related to golf, including the mass media, has had a major impact on the popularity of the game. The sport has received substantial support from equipment manufacturers, business
promoters, developers, travel agencies, and many other groups, as well as support from government agencies in a number of countries. In short, the game has become a major activity in the world of sport and has affected and been affected by a myriad of broader political, economic, and social forces in society-at-large.
