The common consensus is that golf was originated in Scotland prior to 1457. We know this to be fact because golf, along with football, was banned because it was interfering with archery practice. It is believed however, that golf was actually invented by shepherds in the fields who spent time hitting rocks in holes in the field in an attempt to relieve their boredom. Various other forms of games resembling golf have been recorded back to the 14th Century.
Early golfing equipment was thought to be crafted by the skilled craftsmen who made bows and arrows. The first true record is in 1603 when William Mayne was appointed to the court of King James I to make clubs for himself and his court.
The earliest golf balls were made of hand stitched leather, hand filled with boiled feathers. It wasn’t until 1848 that a clergyman by 
the name of Adam Paterson experimented with a material called gutta-percha. The material was sent to him as a protective covering on a gift. He experimented and found that the material could be heated and softened, then formed into a ball shape. As the material cooled, it hardened into a plastic like substance. After some experimenting with the surface, players found that a dented surface had great performance potential over the feather balls of King James I.
Today, the sport of golf is filled with newer, more durable clubs. The original wooden club went to forged irons, then steel and today all metal heads and numerous types of synthetic shafts. The balls too have changed. From the hand stitched leather feather filled balls to the gutta-percha balls, to today, with the molded synthetic core covered with surlyn.
Employ a wonderful time!