While the modern game of golf originated in fifteenth-century Scotland,
the game's ancient origins are unclear and much debated. The first
written record of golf is King James II's banning of the game in 1457,
as an unwelcome distraction from learning archery. The world's oldest
golf tournament still in existence, and golf's first major, is the Open
Championship, which was first played on 17 October 1860 at Prestwick
Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland. Horace Gordon Hutchinson won the
British Amateur twice, in 1886 and 1887, and he has been described by
many as the Father of Golf Instruction, writing several books on the
subject. In The Classic Guide to Golf, he shares his insight into the
game, and instructs the casual player or beginner in how to become truly
great.