World of golf

There are many fascinating aspects to the game of golf other than just playing. The exact origins of this wonderful game are unknown, but its history is enthralling nonetheless, and so is the way the equipment and courses have evolved.

Looking back, it is hard to understand how anyone actually made it round 18 holes given the soft balls, cumbersome wooden clubs and restrictive clothing worn by the players, but somehow they did. It is interesting to consider how they would have fared on some of the fearsome courses that modern-day archictects create.

Featured in this section is a brief history of the game, an insight into how a golf course is designed and built and information on some of the gifted men who have shaped the most famous layouts around the world. Their lives and designs are traced - from the classic pen of Dr Alister Mackenzie to the devilish draughtsmanship of American Pete Dye.

You can also take a look behind the scenes to find out what it takes to keep a golf course in tiptop condition, and peep into the day-today running of the European Tour to discover how and why it has grown over the years to become such a dominant force in world golf.