You may have heard the recent news that Condoleeza Rice and Darla Moore were admitted as the first female members at Augusta National Golf Club (where The Masters is played every year). I think this is an opportune time to discuss the name of disc golf's older brother, Golf.
 |
| Experts speculate that Condoleeza and Darla are really just using Augusta National as a stepping stone to gain admittance to the Kinderfarm Disc Golf Club which is at an undisclosed location probably somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. |
 |
You may have heard that Golf is an acronym that means Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden. Though this acronym fits nicely with the sport's history of sexist exclusivity, it does not seem to be true. After some exhaustive research (wikepedia), I have learned the true (maybe) etiology of the word Golf.
First, the aforementioned acronym is actually a backronym. Which means it was made up and assigned to a word that was already in use. Be suspicious of any acronyms assigned to things that have been around for awhile, since acronyms were not really part of the vernacular until the mid 1900's when words like scuba and laser started popping up.
The history of golf is a bit murky since similar stick and ball games appear to have been in existence for millenia and across several continents. The earliest documented reports of such a game come from China.
The exact origin of the word golf is not certain, but the most accepted theory is that the scottish word is descended from a dutch word (and a dutch stick and ball game) meaning stick or club. Makes sense. Another explanation is that the word could have been descended from any of a number of similar sounding continental words meaning to hit or strike (the golfish word cuff is also descended from these). So Golf is probably named after the clubs used in the game, or perhaps named after what you do with those clubs (hit the ball). Appropriate name.
However, this does make the name disc golf a little bit funny because there are no clubs involved nor is there any hitting (except for the far too common disc hitting a tree trunk).
Still, disc golf is probably the most appropriate name for the game. In two words the game is described such that someone unfamiliar with it understands what it is. It is golf, but played with discs (frisbees). I like the name disc golf. It does not presume too much. A name like ultimate does presume too much. The name implies that it is the final evolution of sport, the end all. The name reveals a certain inferiority complex. If you really think your game is the best, you don't have to name it such, you just describe it. Any ideas on a better name for ultimate? Is there a better name for disc golf?
The history of golf is a bit murky since similar stick and ball games appear to have been in existence for millenia and across several continents. The earliest documented reports of such a game come from China.
The exact origin of the word golf is not certain, but the most accepted theory is that the scottish word is descended from a dutch word (and a dutch stick and ball game) meaning stick or club. Makes sense. Another explanation is that the word could have been descended from any of a number of similar sounding continental words meaning to hit or strike (the golfish word cuff is also descended from these). So Golf is probably named after the clubs used in the game, or perhaps named after what you do with those clubs (hit the ball). Appropriate name.
However, this does make the name disc golf a little bit funny because there are no clubs involved nor is there any hitting (except for the far too common disc hitting a tree trunk).
Still, disc golf is probably the most appropriate name for the game. In two words the game is described such that someone unfamiliar with it understands what it is. It is golf, but played with discs (frisbees). I like the name disc golf. It does not presume too much. A name like ultimate does presume too much. The name implies that it is the final evolution of sport, the end all. The name reveals a certain inferiority complex. If you really think your game is the best, you don't have to name it such, you just describe it. Any ideas on a better name for ultimate? Is there a better name for disc golf?
great post joes. katie tells me you bought a camera! yip yip yipeee!!! i am so happy for you and you're going to love it. i can't wait to watch your drives flying into the sunset when you start posting video on this blog!
ReplyDelete