Golf in Australia

The most popular are Handiskins[1] (Individuals), and the Volkswagen Scramble[2] (Teams), where amateur golfers with varying handicaps compete at club-sanctioned events for club prizes and qualification to contest national championships.

This primary source evidence comes from ten entries in 1839 in the diary of Alexander Brodie Spark.

[3][4] These show that golf was played in 1839 at Grose Farm, which is now part of urban Sydney.

Spark was a wealthy merchant, a well-connected and well-respected member of colonial society, and can be considered as a reliable witness.

They continued to exist as a legal entity by keeping their bank account open and in credit.

Their Cadogan Cup is the oldest golf trophy played for in Australia.

[6] Other claims are made for early golf played at the Ratho estate at Bothwell, Tasmania,[7][dead link‍] though these are now believed to relate to the Bothwell district in general in the 1860s.

[8] Apart from the references below, The Brassie of February 2015 and November 2015, contains articles with further on early golf history in Australia.

[9] Australians have won a total of 27 majors in men's and women's competitions.