During this season, Scottie Scheffler has made an average of 4.7 birdies per round, which is a signal of how frequently top golf players in the world can change difficult holes into scoring opportunities. Yet, have you ever wondered why it's called a berdie or an eagle?

Golf is a centuries-old sport that has evolved far beyond its earliest iteration. Naturally, the sport's history is much stranger than the fans think, which includes the origin of those names and even outer space. So buckle up for some surprising facts about this game we love.

Why Are Scores Named After Birds?

“Birdie” started as American slang in the early 1900s, meaning something cool or impressive. During a game at Atlantic City Country Club, golfer Ab Smith called his great shot a “bird of a shot,” and the term stuck. A score one under par became a “birdie.” To keep the theme going, even better scores got bigger birds: “eagle” for two under and “albatross” for the rare three under. Simple, catchy, and now a core part of golf vocabulary.

Have Golf Balls Always Been White?

Today's balls probably have as much in common with early iterations as Lamborghini has with the Ford Model T. Early golf balls, like feather-filled balls from the 1800s and gutta-percha balls, were naturally dark or brownish. In fact, white wasn't even the standard color.

It became the standard only in the early 1900s because it was easier to see against the grass. Colored golf balls arrived decades later and got popular in the 1970s, especially yellow and orange. Today, you’ll see everything from pink to neon green, but white remains the classic.

Why Was Golf Banned? And Why More Than Once?

Yes, golf was actually banned in Scotland, not once but three different times in the 1400s. The reason? People were skipping archery practice to play. Since archery was crucial for national defense, Scottish kings, including James II, outlawed the sport so citizens would focus on military training. Of course, people kept playing anyway, which led to repeated bans. Eventually, the rulers gave up, embraced the sport, and Scotland became the home of golf as we know it.

They Are on the Moon?

Yes, and there are two. During the Apollo 14 mission in 1971, astronaut Alan Shepard attached a makeshift club head to a tool handle and hit two golf balls on the moon. With low gravity and no air resistance, he joked that one ball flew “miles and miles.” And talking about balls travelling further, that leads us to our final fact.

Where Is the World’s Highest Course?

The Yak Golf Course in Kupup, India, is the loftiest course on the planet. The course is located in the Himalayas at an elevation of approximately 13,000 feet (3,970 m). At such a high altitude, the air is less dense, so golf balls go further. However, estimating distance becomes more difficult. The course provides stunning views, erratic winds, and an entirely different atmosphere than golf at sea level.

Golf may look straightforward, but its history is packed with stories most players never hear. The next time you’re out on the course, do remember why birdie is called birdie. But for now, tell us if any of these facts took you by complete surprise.

Written by

Dolly Bhamrick

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi