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Why did the Scottish Parliament ban golf in 1457?
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golf
American golfer Tiger Woods competing at the British Open (Open Championship) at St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, 2005.
On March 6, 1457, the Scottish Parliament banned golfâalong with footballâbecause King James II feared these games were interfering with the archery practice necessary to defend Scotland against England.12
The decree mandated that lords and barons organize archery displays four times a year and declared that golf and football should be "utterly condemned and stopped," with those found playing subject to punishment. Historical analysis suggests that the "golf" referenced in these 15th-century acts likely referred to a fiercely contested team game similar to hockey, rather than the modern sport of golf. The ban remained in effect until 1502, when the Treaty of Glasgow temporarily ended hostilities between Scotland and England.12